Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) has commended President Samia Suluhu Hassan's efforts in reviving the tourism sector, which resulted in the authority to record a total of 534,065 tourists in the first half of 2023/24.
According to the NCAA Conservation Commissioner, Richard Kiiza, this figure is 10 per cent more than the number of tourists that visited the park during the corresponding period in the 2022/23 fiscal year.
"President Samia's efforts to revive the tourism industry immediately following Covid-19 pandemic, especially after starling in the Royal Tour documentary. That significantly helped to increase the number of tourists at Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), which reached 752,232 for the fiscal year 2022/23, up from 191,614 registered during the 2020/21 period when she assumed the presidency," he noted.
Commissioner Kiiza revealed this while presenting NCAA performance report to editors from various media houses in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
The meeting organised by the Office of Treasurer Registrar (OTR) aimed to highlight achievements registered in three years of President Samia Suluhu Hassan's leadership.
Elaborating, Commissioner Kiiza stated that for the fiscal year 2023/24, it is anticipated that the number of tourists visiting the world's famous attraction will rise to one million.
The influx of tourists has consequently beefed the state coffers, with revenue collected at NCA soaring from 31bn/- in fiscal year 2020/21, to 171bn/- in the 2022/23 financial year.
"This is the highest rate ever collected by the Authority," he said.
He added that given that 123bn/- have already been collected in the first half of the 2023/24, financial year, the income is anticipated to reach over 200bn/- at the end of the financial year.
Speaking about the initiative to expedite the residents' voluntary relocation from the protected area to the village of Msomera, Saunyi-Kilindi and Kitwai B-Simanjiro, Commissioner Kiiza stated that the government actions boosted public confidence in their ability to better their own lives and preserve the area for the greater good of the country.
He insisted that NCA is a protected area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it should be protected by any means.
He requested that media outlets to communicate accurate information in order to dispel the unfounded rumours spread by those who do not have the best interests of the country at heart.
Commissioner Kiiza added that the NCAA, working with specialised organs to combat poaching, has been successful in containing instances of wildlife poaching both inside and beyond the Pololeti Reserve Forest in the Ngorongoro District of Arusha Region.
"We have been able to control elephant poaching incidents from 25 incidents in 2020/21 to one incident in 2022/23," he said.
The NCAA has successfully increased the population of black rhinoceroses by 25 per cent between 2021 and 2023, said Commissioner Kiiza, attributing the feat to best protection measures being instituted by the government.
Detailing on the NCAA's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), he said that as of February 29th this year, a total of 5,249 locals have been awarded scholarships to attend different schools, universities, and vocational training colleges.
Giving the breakdown, he said 4,120 students are at secondary level, 804 are attending vocational training and 325 students are at universities.
Additionally, a total of 123 groups have benefited from the beekeeping initiative in four districts -Ngorongoro 68, Karatu (29), Meatu (18) and eight in Monduli.
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Also, the authority has been able to provide 12 honey pressers to 12 groups; five in Meatu residents, five in Karatu residents, and two in Monduli.
He said that 27 primary schools in the NCA received a total of 32,620 kilogrammes of flour, 11,350 kg of sugar, and 3,100 kg of butter between 2021 and 2024.
Commissioner Kiiza also noted that 600 tonnes of maize were supplied to NCA inhabitants up to January this year in an effort to enhance their quality of life.
"The Authority has been delivering salt minerals to Kayapus, Olorobi, Mokilal, Misigiyo, and Irekepusi villages in order to guarantee the health of their cattle, whereby 2,000 kg in total have been given to the aforementioned towns by January this year," he noted.
