Tanzania: Sh16 billion distributed to households relocating from Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Arusha. Households that have voluntarily moved out of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) have so far received Sh15.9 billion in relocation packages.

The Supervisor of Voluntary Relocation Exercise, Ms Flora Assey, said the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) has adhered to all laid down procedures, including providing education on the voluntary relocation programme that started in June 2022, the construction of houses, and the payment of Sh10 million to each household.

Each household moving to Msomera Village, Tanga Region, she added, has been provided with a three-bedroom house built on a 2.5-acre piece of land, a five-acre farm, and foodstuffs to last 18 months.

The relocation exercise continued on August 22, when 367 residents from 79 households voluntarily relocated from Ngorongoro to Msomera and other areas in the country.

Those moving to Msomera were 317 residents from 63 households and 906 livestock.

“Fifty others from 16 households as well as 89 livestock have been relocated to other areas, including Simiyu, Loliondo, and Longido,” Ms Assey said.

The 367 residents who moved out of Ngorongoro voluntarily on August 22 come from 79 households.

They have joined 1,519 households that have already voluntarily relocated from the NCA, making a total of 1,598 households.

A total of 39,779 livestock have also been moved from the NCA.

Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Commissioner of Police Bennedict Wakulyamba, led the farewell ceremony for these residents early in the in the morning of August 22, 2024.

He said the main goal of the voluntary relocation programme was to improve community members' livelihoods and rescue the NCA from overpopulation of people and livestock.

“Your decision to relocate to other areas indicates you have realised the challenges you were facing in the area. The need to improve your livelihoods and to rescue the sole conservation area globally in which people and wildlife co-exist lies in the hands of every resident,” he said.

Mr Wakulyamba called on the residents to be the programme ambassadors by convincing remaining colleagues to jump on the bandwagon.

Acting Ngorongoro Conservation Commissioner, Engineer Daniel Chegere, said the authority would continue educating the remaining residents on the importance of voluntary relocation.

One of the relocated residents, Mr Sikonyi Laizer, said he decided to relocate from the area to grab the economic benefit and enjoy the provision of social services at the new settlement in Msomera Village.

“I went to Msomera to see the benefits of the programme sensitise before I decided to sensitise my family and neighbours to consider the relocation opportunity,” he said.