THE government has continued to further improve the environment to accommodate more residents relocating from Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) in Arusha to Msomera in Tanga Region.
It also emphasised the importance of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to seek accurate information when giving their opinion on the matter.
According to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) Conservation Commissioner, Dr Freddy Manongi, the government efforts to put in place attractive environment in Msomera has seen increasing demand for people to voluntarily relocate.
"People living within Ngorongoro Conservation Area are increasingly demanding to voluntarily shift to Msomera Village in Tanga due to availability of necessary services and opportunities in the new locality," he said.
He said yesterday during a virtual symposium that the government has continued to make improvement of infrastructure and other social services crucial for people to settle in Msomera.
From the beginning, the government has said the exercise is voluntary and procedures have been put in place.
"People who are voluntarily ready to shift in the coming batch will register ... but in this batch we will allow them to go to places they feel are suitable for them outside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area," Dr Manongi unveiled.
Adding: "We will do our best when people register to shift, to understand where they want to go and make good arrangements for them to be hosted".
He further said the government will be vigilant to ensure it will not move the Ngorongoro challenges to other areas.
Dr Manongi also encouraged people who are still within the conservation area to take advantage of the opportunity by continuing to register, while insisting that the evaluation of their properties will be done fairly.
Dr Manongi highlighted the reasons for relocation of people in Ngorongoro, including humanitarian and conservation matters.
He said the government has good intention to improve the lives of people in Ngorongoro with important services such as access to education, water, good roads, health services, electricity, communication and houses among others.
Commenting, Deputy Permanent Representative in the United Nations- Geneva, Switzerland Ambassador Hoyce Temu said the relocation exercise is in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 and provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.
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The envoy urged CSOs operating in the country to seek accurate information when giving their opinion about the resettlement exercise of people living in NCA to avoid bias reporting.
For his part, the representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in Tanzania, Prof Hamis Malebo noted that Tanzania ratified the UNESCO 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1977.
Adding: "Currently, the country has seven properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, including NCA. Others are Kondoa Rock-Art Sites (2006) Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara (1981).
He also said in the convention there are sections which are placed to protect people while saying the Ngorongoro area is characterised by various diseases caused by interaction between animals and human beings such as Trachoma, Amoeba and Brucellosis among others.
