EIGHT people have been arrested in Geita region after allegedly getting involved in illegal gold trade in black market.
The suspects were arrested by some ministry of minerals personnel in collaboration with security forces in the region.
Making the revelation over the weekend, Dr Dotto Biteko, minister in the docket during his official visit to the small-scale miners' mines located at Lwamugasa Ward in Geita District, said the suspects were involved in buying and exporting gold in the black market as well as smuggling them outside the country.
He noted that the suspected were arrested just few months after the authorities noticed mercury-gold mainly from the small-scale miners being on the decline.
"We also noticed that there was a serious weakness in the management of small-scale mining areas, that's why this happens. Let me remind you (artisanal and small scale miners) not to operate illegally, you do not have to sell your gold illegally since the government and our President Samia Suluhu Hassan wants you to run your activity and do business freely," he added.
Elaborating, the minister told them that President Samia wants them to live and work in their country peacefully, saying: "Do not support those running illegal gold trade, because that will not be accepted."
Dr Biteko urged small-scale miners to adhere to rules, regulations and laws in mining activities, adding that the government has scrapped a number of levies and taxes in order to make it easier for them to run their activities in a sustainable and legal manner.
"What the President wants is to see mothers, fathers and young people positively changing their lives via mining activities... if foreigners can come and get riches here, why not you Tanzanians. It is not a sin for you people of Lwamugasa to get riches here," he said.
On his part, Geita Region Miners' Association (GEREMA) Chairman, Christopher Kadeo, called upon the government to continue putting in place friendly policies and remove some mineral tariffs, which appear to be barriers to small-scale miners.
Commenting, Geita Regional Commissioner Rosemary Senyamule said the region had established itself as a hub for national and international mineral trade.
