Tanzania moves to give environmental body more autonomy
Deputy Minister in the Vice President’s Office responsible for Union and Environment, Mr Khamis Hamza Khamis, responds to questions in past parliament session. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- Environment experts have been calling for upgrading of the Nemc to an autonomous regulatory body from its current advisory status so it can play an increasingly important role in the meeting of Tanzania’s industrialisation goals.
Dodoma. The government of Tanzania is drafting amendment to give the National Environment Management Council (Nemc) more autonomy in addressing environmental issues.
Environment experts have been calling for upgrading of the Nemc to an autonomous regulatory body from its current advisory status so it can play an increasingly important role in the meeting of Tanzania’s industrialisation goals.
“Currently, the Office of the Vice President is in the process of amending the Environmental Management Act, Chapter 191. Changing the structure of the Nemc to become the Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) is one of the proposed issues for amendment,” said deputy Minister in the Vice President’s Office responsible for Union and Environment, Mr Khamis Hamza Khamis.
Mr Khamis was responding to a question in Parliament on Tuesday April 02, 2024, after Ms Maryam Azan Mwinyi (Special Seats-CCM) asked when the government would transform NEMC into an authority.
“It is the hope of the Office of the Vice President that by June 2024, the Environmental Management Act Amendment Bill, Chapter 191, will be presented to the Parliament,” added Mr Khamis.
Nemc was established under the National Environment Management Act of 1983 as government advisory body on sustainable environment.
It started operating in 1986, according to its website.
The law was repealed in 2004 after another law was enacted, giving Nemc more powers to undertake enforcement, compliance, review and monitoring of environmental impact assessment and in that regard, facilitate public participation in environmental decision making, exercise general supervision and coordination over all matters relating to the environment.
The council is also supposed to prepare and submit to the Minister responsible for environment a bi-annual report concerting how it has implemented the provisions of the Act and fulfilled the objects and the purpose for which it was established, according to the Environmental Management Act 2004.
After becoming an authority, it is expected to become a regulatory body which can establish standards for regulated goods and services.
The transformation is coming at the time when environmental issues are gaining more global attention as part of efforts to mitigate climate change.
