President Samia Suluhu Hassan has called on Tanzanians to diligently pay their taxes, saying that tax revenues are crucial for funding national development projects.
Speaking during a stopover in Tunduma Town, Songwe Region, on her way to Dodoma after concluding her tour in Rukwa, President Samia highlighted the government's dependence on tax collections for initiatives and infrastructure projects.
"Everything the government does, and what you want it to do, relies on tax revenue. At time we even need to seek international funding to supplement these resources," she said.
She acknowledged occasional inefficiencies in tax collection but assured the public that these issues are being addressed and rectified.
The tax revenue in Tanzania was reported at 11.47 per cent of GDP in 2023, down from 11.6 per cent in 2022 and below the sub-Saharan Africa average of 14.2 per cent, according to the World Bank.
In her address to the people of Tunduma, President Samia highlighted the importance of unity and collective effort in nation-building.
Earlier, Songwe Regional Commissioner Daniel Chongolo highlighted the significant strides made in the region over the past three years under her administration.
He said that over 600bn/- were allocated to address various challenges faced by the residents.
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The funds, he said have led to substantial improvements in the education sector, including the construction of 71 new primary schools, 550 classrooms, and the recruitment of 300 teachers, which has greatly reduced the distance students need to travel to access education.
Additionally, the region received 23bn/- for fee-free education initiatives and 203 teachers' houses were built to provide better living conditions for educators.
In the secondary education sector, he said the region received 60bn/- over the past three years, resulting in the construction of 34 new schools, 702 classrooms, and 170 teachers' houses.
Mr Chongolo said despite these advancements, challenges such as teenage pregnancies and malnutrition persist. He expressed his commitment to addressing these issues, stating, "We are embarrassed to mention the statistics, but rest assured we will tackle this problem."
Teenage pregnancy is a major health concern and has been associated with maternal and child morbidity and mortality.
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According to the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) conducted in 2022 teenage pregnancy rate in Tanzania was reported at around 22 per cent among women aged 15-19 years. Songwe Region is leading with 45 per cent teenage pregnancy rate.
He said among the strategies they set is to ensure all children are born without nutritional challenges in a region that has an abundance of food.
Healthcare improvements were also highlighted, he said with 28bn/- allocated for upgrading and building facilities closer to the people.
A regional referral hospital, three district hospitals and 23 health centres have been established.
Mr Chongolo further said infrastructure development received over 50bn/-, resulting in significant road projects, including the paving of roads from Ileje to Tunduma and the 80-kilometer stretch from Mlowo to Kamsamba, crucial for the region's agricultural activities, particularly rice farming.
Tunduma MP, David Silinde, said that local revenue collection in Tunduma Town Council had increased significantly from 4.6bn/- to 13bn/-.
He highlighted the construction of multi-storey school buildings and the expansion of health facilities, with the number of health centres increasing from one to five.
"In the area of infrastructure, we now have 10.27 kilometres of paved roads in Tunduma town, up from just 1.2 kilometres when you took office," Silinde added.
He also mentioned the ongoing process of establishing a dry port in Mpemba area, with compensation funds allocated to facilitate the project.
