Tanzania’s Engaruka soda ash project to begin soon
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- Minister Jaffo also assured the residents that everyone entitled to compensation would receive their due payment and advised against fraud in the compensation process, emphasising that the government had already verified the names of those eligible for payment.
Dar es Salaam. The Minister of Industry and Trade, Dr Suleiman Jaffo, has said that the government has allocated over Sh14 billion to compensate residents of Engaruka Ward in Monduli District, Arusha region, to facilitate the construction of the soda ash factory, which is expected to commence soon.
Minister Jaffo also assured the residents that everyone entitled to compensation would receive their due payment and advised against fraud in the compensation process, emphasising that the government had already verified the names of those eligible for payment.
Minister Jaffo said this on August 26, 2024, during his visit to the Strategic Soda Ash Project in Engaruka, Monduli District, Arusha region.
The National Development Corporation (NDC) is implementing the project to review the various stages of progress as part of its ongoing tour of the Arusha Region.
“I advise the Monduli District leadership to survey all areas surrounding the project to enable the organised development of residential areas, industries, and businesses,” he said.
According to him, the government will continue to develop essential infrastructure, such as roads, water, and electricity, to facilitate the project's implementation, including the transportation and installation of machinery for the soda ash processing plant, which is crucial for many production industries, including glass, pharmaceuticals, and other products.
Monduli District Commissioner, Festus Kiswaga, along with Monduli District Administrative Secretary Muhsin Kassim, stated their readiness to welcome the project and encouraged residents to take advantage of the opportunities arising from its implementation.
On the other hand, Managing Director NDC, Dr Nicolaus Shombe, said that NDC, as an investor on behalf of the government, has already completed several preparatory steps for the project's implementation.
He named the steps, including research on the quantity and quality of soda ash, feasibility studies, environmental impact assessments, valuation of assets of residents displaced by the project, and design of the factory, which, once completed, will have the capacity to produce one million tonnes of soda ash per year.
Speaking on behalf of the Engaruka residents, local leaders, including the Ward Councillor and Executive Officer of Engaruka, as well as Chairpersons of the Engaruka Upland, Engaruka Lowland, Irerendeni, and Oldonyo Lengai villages, expressed their satisfaction with the government's decision to implement the project, which they believe will bring economic and social development to the area.
