Tanzanian Members of Parliament on Monday expressed concern that the east African country could be sued in international courts after imposing a ban on exports of copper concentrates for smelting abroad.
Last week, Tanzanian President John Magufuli banned exports of copper concentrates by mining companies and told the miners to construct smelters in the country to boost mining revenue to the government.
And on Friday, the government seized 262 containers ferrying copper concentrates which were to be exported abroad.
But some MPs meeting in the political capital Dodoma ready for the marathon budget session that begins next month expressed fears that the ban could backfire.
The lawmakers expressed fears when the Parliamentary Committee on Energy and Minerals met with the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, and some of its institutions that presented their reports on the ban.
Tanzania Mineral Audit Agency (TMAA), which is also involved in clearing copper concentrates for export, also presented its performance report, igniting heated discussions among the MPs.
“There is a lot of fears among the government and the public that mining companies are stealing from us. Its better MPs are fully involved so that we can advise the government before the country gets into trouble,” said Bahati Abeid, an MP from the ruling party- Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
“We have the feeling that some of the international mining companies will take the government to international courts,” said Wilfred Lwakatare, an MP from opposition party-Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA).
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Job Ndugai, said on Sunday parliament will review mining contracts with foreign firms aimed at improving proper documentation of exported copper concentrates for the benefit of the country.
Ndugai said a report on the review of the mining contracts will be submitted to the government as a guideline that will help to closely monitor and improve proper documentation of exported copper concentrates for the benefit of the country.
The parliamentary action came just a day after the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) in collaboration with security agents impounded over 260 export-bound shipping containers with copper concentrates from Buzwagi Gold Mine (BZGM) stored in Dar es Salaam.
Last week, Tanzanian President John Magufuli visited the Dar es Salaam port and ordered the seizure of 20 containers ferrying copper concentrates from the same mining firm.
On Sunday, President Magufuli sacked the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Justin Ntalikwa, apparently in connection with the copper concentrates exports.
Deusdedit Kakoko, Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) Director General, said more than 50,000 containers with copper concentrates move out of the country every year.
Kakoko said since the country passed laws to allow the exportation of copper concentrates in 1998, over 1 million containers with copper concentrates have left the country.
He said newly installed scanners at the port have helped to a large extent to seize containers ferrying copper concentrates, adding that there has been a good collaboration from various governments’ agencies in seizing the containers.
