Business IDs put officials in tight corner

Dodoma. Regional commissioners today face President John Magufuli in Dar es Salaam to explain why the pace of issuing business identity cards to petty traders is slow. That was said yesterday by the minister of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Mr Selemani Jafo, in a meeting organised by Ministry of Minerals and involving RCs, regional secretaries and mining officials for to determine how to access mining markets.

Last December, President Magufuli directed RCs to issue the IDs to petty traders so that the Tanzania Revenue Authority could identify them and stop harassing them since they are now recognised by the government.

President Magufuli directed all RCs to ensure that petty traders receive them. Mr Jafo said letters had been written to all RCs to provide full explanations on the issuance, but they had to explain themselves to the President today.

“There are regions that issued only 2 per cent and 4 per cent of IDs while others have reached more than 94 per cent,” he said

He mentioned Mwanza, Arusha and Dar es Salaam where the issuance of IDs had gone well, but some regions faced the challenge because of their geography although some of them have no basic reasons.