EDITORIAL: Regulate regulatory bodies
The multiplicity of regulatory bodies does not augur well for Tanzania’s business environment. The bodies are too many with duplicate roles. They charge exorbitant fees - and are overly bureaucratic to boot. In fact, it is easy to conclude that the authorities and agencies tasked with regulating businesses have the ill motive of atrangulating businesses. But, for whose benefit, pray?
No wonder President John Magufuli has been prone to giving ultimatums to these bodies to issue permits whenever he receives complaints of too much bureaucracy. And the President has repeatedly warned about the inefficiency of these bodies. Is this not a signal to the relevant ministries to do something about it?
What are the responsible ministers waiting for? The business community has for long advocated merging bodies which have similar roles and do away with those whose main functions are simply to collect fees. If this is not possible, then some sort of a one-stop centre system should be established.
This should enable clients to access services of all the relevant regulatory bodies under one roof without needing to run around in search of multiple permits that are needed to establish a factory or import some raw materials. For the country to develop meaningfully and sustainably, we need investors and we need businesses. But we also have to create the right environment for all that.
