Tanzania’s Deputy Prime Minister To Officiate The 7TH International Mineral Technology Expo In Geita

By Prosper Makene, Geita

Tanzania’s Deputy Prime Minister Doto Biteko is expected to officiate the 7^th Geita Mineral and Technology Exhibition tomorrow (5^th October 2024). The ceremony will take place at the EPZA grounds in Bomba Mbili area in the Region.

Speaking with journalists here today, Geita Regional Commissioner (RC) Mr Martin Shigella said: “We are expecting the Deputy Prime Minister Doto Biteko to officiate the 7^th Geita Mineral and Technology Exhibition tomorrow and our Excellency President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan will also close the expo later in 13^th October.”

The RC also said that the government in the region is contamplating to constructing a modern permanent complex city for hosting the famous annually- staged Geita International Mining Technology Exhibitions.

Mapped in southwest of Lake Victoria, Geita region has been endowed with potential gold deposits, with the Geita Hill ranked one of the largest Tanzanian gold deposits, hosted by metasedimentary rocks, dominated by ironstones and intruded by numerous diorite dykes.

For seven consecutive years now, the country's key minerals stakeholders, and those  from outside Tanzania have been flocking into the region to partake in Geita Mining Technology Expo, the potential podium tailored to improve performance of the prestigious economic sector in the country.

He pointed out that government in the region has launched special effort to facelift the status of venue where the expo is annually held, the External Processing Zones Authority (EPZS)'s ground.

"The Geita Mining Technology Expo has continued to gain good momentum through attracting increased number of participants from within and outside the country, to the tune of generating lucrative revenue," he said.

To stand a more professional side to host the prestigious Expo, Mr Shigella said the government was working to construct modern structures at the venue.

"The plan, among others is to construct state - of - the - art permanent pavillions to help sheltering the event's participants, as well as areas for conducting minerals related business and services through the year," he informed.

He added, funds for implementing the vast project will be sourced from the revenues to be collected from the staging of the key exhibitions at the area, being apart from other sources.

Construction of the envisaged facility, to sit at the 100 hactares grounds, according to him, will play a major role in help transforming the exhibition into the best mining and technology gathering across East and Central Africa.

And he briefed, the 7th edition of the crucial exhibition attracts over 600 exhibitors from within and outside Tanzania, and all necessary preps have been accomplished.

"We're very happy because this year's exhibition will be graced by President Samia Suluhu Hassan at it's climax," he appreciated.

On his part, the chairman of the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture (TCCIA) for Geita region, Eng Robert Gabriel challenged the small and lather scale traders in the mining sector across the country to use the event soberly so as to heighten their performance through adopting the world's best recommended technologies.

This year's exhibition has been organized by the Ministry of minerals, in cooperation with the government in Geita region as well as the Tanzania Trade Development Authority (TanTrade).

The mining expo, is the region's premier showcase of the latest technology in the mining and processing of minerals, earthmoving, safety equipment and much more.

Among others, the exhibition stands among one stop shop for buyers from across East Africa seeking new products, equipment, machinery, services and solutions related to the mining sector.

Records at the parent ministry depict that the mining sector in Tanzania depends on imported machinery and supplies, and investors can import capital goods at zero duty.

There are significant opportunities for the export of technology, machinery, and services to the mining sector in Tanzania. The mining sector also requires infrastructure and financing solutions, such as roads, railways, ports, power supply, and credit facilities.