Chana reaffirms commitment to Ngorongoro community services
Ngorongoro residents protest. President Samia Suluhu Hassan ordered the restoration of social services and reinstatement of the residents' rights to vote. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- Dr Chana insisted that efforts to educate and voluntarily relocate residents from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to government-designated areas are ongoing
Dar es Salaam. The Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Pindi Chana, has reaffirmed her ministry's commitment to implementing recent government directives aimed at enhancing community services within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA).
Dr Chana made this statement during her visit to the NCAA headquarters in Arusha, where she engaged in discussions with NCAA management.
“The directives, issued by President Samia Suluhu Hassan and communicated through the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office [Policy, Parliamentary Affairs and Coordination], William Lukuvi, were aimed at addressing various community service issues in Ngorongoro,” she said.
According to her, the directives include issuing permits to improve community services, extending the time for residents' access to the conservation area from 10:30 PM to midnight, ensuring resident safety, and strengthening the relationship between the NCAA and residents.
"We must enhance the protection of wildlife and forest resources. Conservation institutions should embrace modern technology and innovative approaches to ensure the security of these resources for the nation and future generations," Dr Chana emphasised.
She also called on all institutions and organisations under the ministry to improve work efficiency.
In a related development, Dr Chana noted that efforts to educate and voluntarily relocate residents from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to government-designated areas are ongoing.
She directed NCAA management to continue these educational efforts to facilitate voluntary relocations, which aim to bolster conservation efforts and improve residents' livelihoods outside the conservation area.
Reporting on resident issues from August 18–23, 2024, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, CP Benedict Wakulyamba, said that residents expressed their concerns peacefully without disrupting conservation activities.
Despite the challenges, tourism activities in the area continued.
The NCAA Conservation Commissioner, Dr Elirehema Doriye, reported that conservation, tourism and community development activities are progressing well.
The NCAA leadership is actively working to enhance road infrastructure and other services for the daily influx of visitors to the conservation area.
