Ngara DC calls for foreigners screening

NGARA District Commissioner, Colonel Mathias Kahabi has appealed to security organs to screen foreigners entering the country from a neighbouring

country and ensure that they follow immigration procedures.

Equally, he called on foreigners living in Tanzania to follow immigration laws.

He made the call recently while addressing heads of departments during a meeting he convened at his office.

“I have received reports that some of the hotel and bar owners were employing foreigners from a neighbouring country. You should closely   screen the aliens and ensure that they follow laid down immigration laws,” he said.

Col Kahabi explained that Tanzania, one of the most peaceful and politically stable African countries, offers an attractive investment climate, a rich and diverse natural resource base and a growing consumer market.

“It’s these widely acknowledged factors that have made the country a darling of foreign investors and multinational companies,” he said.

He explained that border posts at Kabanga and Rusumo are good opportunities for wananchi to do business while the council will also boost its revenue collections.

He appealed to residents of border areas to embrace business opportunities available in their areas. Equally, he warned government officials who act as obstacles to business growth and development along the regional borders with neighbouring countries, saying cross-border businesses have proved worthwhile to   the economy of many countries.

“Border between one country and another is an opportunity for people living in the area. People should use border areas to do business and improve their standards of living provided that they satisfy all the legal requirements. Our role as government is to make sure that these people are benefiting. We should not be an obstacle,” he said.

Col Kahabi elaborated that the government must understand challenges being faced by business people and find solutions to ensure that citizens are benefiting from opportunities available in their area and are paying tax.

He urged all government department workers at border posts not to act as obstacles but rather as facilitators to people doing business along the border.

“In other countries, people living along the border are rich because they are given opportunities to interact and do business provided that they follow all the laws. We should show them the way instead,” he said.