Mwijage: Don’t ignore small scale industries
Minister for Trade, Industries and Investment Charles Mwijage, speaking at the Mwananchi Thought Leadership Forum in Dar es Salaam.
What you need to know:
The government reaffirms its commitment in supporting small scale and media scale industries.
Minister for Trade, Industry and Investments Charles Mwijage said the government will continue to invest in the sector in its bid to realize industrial economy come 2025.
Dar es Salaam. Industry, trade and Investment minister Charles Mwijage on Thursday, October 4, 2018, said the government cannot ignore small and medium-scale industries (SMEs) because they are key indicators of achieving middle income economy by 2025.
"Before thinking about establishing big industries, it is important to invest in small and medium industries," he said.
He added: "The government will continue to empower owners of the small and medium industries."
The minister made the remarks when addressing participants during the Mwananchi Thought Leadership Forum held on Thursday in Dar es Salaam.
Mr Mwijage also revealed top secret why Tanzania's industrialization agenda declined in early 1960s.
He mentioned poor governance and lack of partnership between the public and private sector as key factors that attributed to the collapse of the industries.
"I can admit that the government didn't allow the private sector to become dominant in running the industries," he said.
He added: "However, the fifth phase government plans to build a strong and competitive industrial economy by using raw materials produced by local producers to feed the industries,"
The minister further asserted that the government through Tanzania's second five-year development plan was determined to eliminate economic barriers with nations and produce goods targeting both local and international market.
The minister on Thursday also mentioned cement as the most selling product in Tanzania after edible oil.
