Prime Minister: We’ll scrape off bad fees, charges

Dar es Salaam. Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said yesterday that the government will eliminate fees and charges that hinder the smooth conduct of businesses in Tanzania.

The scrapping of fees and charges will go as far as those charged on farm inputs.

Mr Majaliwa made the remarks in Dodoma yesterday when responding to a question in Parliament during the question and answer session that was live broadcast.

Mr Kizito Mhagama (Madaba - CCM) had sought to know the measures the government was taking towards reducing charges on agro-inputs in order to enable farmers afford them.

Responding, Premier Majaliwa said the government has been receiving a number of complaints from various traders including suppliers of inputs over various charges, saying they were impeding their business operations.

“The government has heard your concerns and is now reviewing the charges and fees, those which are not necessary will be scraped off or changed,” he said. The Prime Minister said the main work being done by the government currently was to review all the charges affecting farmers and traders.

The goal, he said, was to create conducive environment for businesses to flourish in the country.

He noted that responsible ministers have already met to discuss ways of resolving the issue.

“Just the other day I was with the ministers to get collective information on areas they have reviewed including all the charges that need to be reviewed,” he said.

According to him, once the work is completed, they will meet with the Parliamentary Budget Committee, Ministry of Finance to see the best way of removing such charges.

However, the issue will then be taken up to the authority that gives consent to remove or reduce charges.