The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training has set aside 2bn/- for 2014/15 for the purchase of 45 motor vehicles which will be sent to various education inspection units countrywide.

PSMG Chairperson, Ms Jenista Mhagama

This was said in the National Assembly on Tuesday by the Deputy Minister for Education and Vocational Training, Ms Jenista Mhagama, when answering a main question from Danstan Mkapa (CCM-Nanyumbu) who wished to know when the inspection department would be availed with motor vehicles to facilitate smoother operations.
Mhagama said that the government is aware of the importance of the School Inspection Department whose work is critical for education quality. She said that plans are underway to ensure that all district, regional and zonal offices are given motor vehicles.
For a start Nanyumbu has been given a motor vehicle with registration number STK 160, she said. In another development the legislators were told that more than 416bn/- tax exemptions were awarded to various sugar importers between 2010 and 2013 in order to address shortages, the Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, Mr Godrey Zambi, told the National Assembly.
He was responding to a question floated in the House by Mr Hamad Rashid Mohamed (CUF-Wawi) who wanted to know the status of local sugar production and tax exemptions granted during the three years period.
Zambi said that sugar production locally does meet the market demand as industries produce only 300,000 tonnes per year while consumption stands at 590,000 tonnes.

He said that when acute shortages strike the government offers tax exemptions to importers in order to seal the gap. However, he conceded that, there are times when sugar is shipped into the country illegally thus making competition in the market especially for the local products unfair.
Moreover, he said, the nation is keen on ensuring that it protects local sugar companies so that they compete with importers respectably.
He said he has instructed the Sugar board to ensure that they meet with all concerned stakeholders so they chart out modalities on import procedures which will be fair to both consumers and producers.
Mr Zambi said that during his recent tour of local sugar manufacturers, he realized that the highest sugar prices should not exceed 1,600/- a kilo.
The sugar board has been tasked to ensure that the market prices remain at 1,600/- a kilo since it is the middlemen who hike the prices to 2,000/-.

Source Tanzania Daily News