The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
Felix Mwera
27 August 2008
The Serengeti district commissioner has said a hunting company owned by a US investor was asked to help in anti-poaching activities not to take over the responsibility of Government to protect wild animals.
He was responding to concerns raised by some members of parliament who had earlier said the partnership between the Grumeti Reserves Ltd and wildlife authorities in the area was not proper.
Members of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) visited the area last week and said wildlife authorities in the district were not supposed to have given the company the responsibility of protecting wild animals.
Led by PAC chairman John Cheyo the MPs said it was the Government's task to fight against poachers, not investors. But district commissioner Edward Ole Lenga said the hunting company that operates in the concession areas of western Serengeti, was only cooperating with authorities to prevent poaching.
Mr Lenga said the firm had hired village game scouts (VGS) who were operating under the supervision of game officers in the Ikorongo and Grumeti Game reserves.
"There is no military here," said the DC. "What we have are VGS whose work is only safeguarding wild animals against poachers."
Wildlife Division director Erasmus Tarimo backed the DC saying the Government had allowed such an arrangement whereby hunting firms would provide manpower to collaborate with game officers in fighting poaching.
"We actually have four companies that have responded to our call, including the Grumeti Reserves. And these are contracts for which we are paying through salaries to VGS," he said. Mr Tarimo decried the shortage of anti-poaching officers saying because of that they had to seek help from investors.
However, the law makers said the arrangement should be immediately reviewed to allow only the government to protect wildlife.
They said if investors were to assist they should do so only through contributing funds to facilitate anti-poaching activities.
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