Promote tourism, Jaffo orders LGAs

Dar es Salaam. Minister of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Mr Selemani Jaffo, Saturday urged local authorities to support central government’s efforts towards promoting tourism.

He made the remarks on Saturday in the city in his address during the launch of a tourism campaign which aims at promoting tourism in Dar es Salaam.

The televised event was attended by local authorities officers based in Dar es Salaam.

“This is the first time I witness a city coming up with such a brilliant initiative. I, therefore, urge other local authorities in to do the same,” he said. He expressed his optimism that the initiative would help rake in more foreign currencies.

Meanwhile, Mr Jaffo ordered local authorities to stop charging interest on loans given to youth and women.

“From today all loans should be issued without interest. The applicants will repay the exact amount of money that they were granted as par the terms and conditions,” he said. Local authorities are required by law to allocate 10 per cent of collected revenues to empower youths and women through loans.

“The initiative was meant to empower youth and women to improve their incomes, hence uplift their living standards,” he said.

At same occasion, Dar es Salaam regional commissioner Paul Makonda said his office was planning to construct at least 200 small, medium and large industries with the view to complement the government’s industrialisation drive.

“At least 200 new industries will be built in Dar es Salaam. We have already contracted the investors to implement the projects,” he said.

He added “We are also determined to construct a special building which will be used by relevant government authorities to negotiate contracts and other investment related issues with the investors.”

He also commended the new Dar es Salaam city management for its efforts to complement the government’s move to combat corruption and embezzlement.

“I’m told the collections have climbed to Sh1.2 billion from Sh87 million collected in previous year,” he said.

Earlier, Dar es Salaam city director Spora Liana expounded that her office had embarked on formulating strategic plans to promote tourism in the city.

“To begin with, we have launched a book which consists of potential details of attraction sites in the city, and we are planning to buy a car with the view to promoting tourist sites,” she said.

For his part Dar es Salaam City mayor Isaya Mwita said his office was determined to renovate existing attraction sites with the view to promote tourism in Dar es Salaam.