By Polycarp Machira
The Citizen Reporter
Dar es Salaam. Tanzanians investors should rush for opportunities in the newly created Southern Sudan, the government has advised. Southern Sudan, which has applied to join the East Africa Community, has opened more opportunities for investment in the region. The country will join the community by July this year.
The minister for East African Community, Samuel Sitta who spoke in Dar es Salaam yesterday said that Tanzanians should not just sit and wait for the government to provide them with everything while their counterparts in other countries are moving to grab the opportunities that come with such an opportunity.
“Tanzanians should seize the opportunities in South Sudan just like people from other countries are doing. Let us not just sit there and lament that the government does not provide for people’s need. It is time to wake up,” he said.
As a vivid example, he said Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) from Kenya has shown the way as it has established about seven branches in the newly formed country.
The minister who talked to The Citizen on Sunday on the sidelines of the East Africa Community Students Union (EACSU) annual conference at the University of Dar es Salaam said that youth in the country ought to be more active and take advantage of any slight chance that comes.
Mr Sitta was saddened that most youth in the country do not want to fully engage themselves in income generating activities and instead spend a lot of time in bars and other leisure activities.
“ It is really sad that our youth have not realized the need to be proactive about change, that is why if you pass by Magomeni you will see many of them just playing pool table, bao or sitting idle, “he noted.
The minister who was the chief guest at the conference told the students that EAC member states are currently working on the report on harmonization of academic qualifications and curriculum to allow for uniformity in the region.
He urged the youth to join the movement towards the federation, as they are the beneficiaries of the EAC come 2015.The conference that brought together students from EAC member state universities was attended by a handful of Tanzanian students with Rwanda dominating the event.
EACSU, Tanzania chapter Vice President, Chikulupi Kasaka told this reporter that the low turnout was a result of lack of government efforts to involve youth in the process towards the federation.
“Students of higher learning institutions are not fully involved in the process and that is why only a few have attended the conference. Imagine our colleagues from Rwanda contributed their own money to come to this conference because they fully understand the importance of EAC federation, “she said. |
