The UK government has dished out a 307.5bn/- grant to support the Fifth Phase Government’s efforts in enhancing the education sector, curbing corruption and improving healthcare services.
The support was announced recently in Dar es Salaam by the UK Secretary of State for International Development, Ms Penny Mordaunt, shortly after meeting President John Magufuli at the State House.
Ms Mordaunt said that her government dished out the additional package for supporting President Magufuli’s priority ventures, 124.5bn/- of which will be injected into the education sector. She explained that priority would be given to improving the quality of education and ensuring that individuals with disabilities have access to education.
Ms Mordaunt said 23.5bn/- would be channelled into the anti-corruption initiative and the remaining 160bn/- would be spent on healthcare programmes.
“This is a sign of increasing and strong commitment between our two nations; we very much want to focus our efforts to ensure that the President is able to achieve his tremendous ambitions for his country and we are really privileged to be a partner in this with Tanzania,” she said.
She added that apart from being one of the major donors in terms of international aid budget, UK was also the largest commercial investor in Tanzania, adding that her country was delighted by the President’s readiness to open doors for more British investors under a win-win relationship.
“We will also ensure that the President’s ambitions for a win-win relationship on business and investment is absolute at the forefront of our partnership,” Ms Mordaunt said.
For his part, President Magufuli saluted Ms Mordaunt for the support and asked her to convey his gratitude to the UK Prime Minister, Ms Theresa May, for her country’s enormous contribution in supporting Tanzania’s budget, as well as financing various development projects.
“I commend Ms Mordaunt for recognising our efforts in improving the quality of education, health services and the anti-corruption initiative … this support will boost our efforts because if our children will have access to quality education, crackdown on corruption and foster a healthy population, we will be in a good position to promote industrialisation and economic growth,” President Magufuli noted.
He assured the UK government of proper utilisation of the funds adding that the fifth phase government would strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries. He noted that the UK was the largest investor in Tanzania and had been providing huge support of its taxpayers money for the development of the East African nation.
The President presented Ms Mordaunt a photo album for Ihungo Secondary School in Kagera Region which was renovated under the support of UK government after being destroyed during the earthquake that hit the region in September 2016.
President Magufuli commended the UK government for its support of 6bn/- which facilitated the reconstruction of the buildings through Tanzania Building Agency (TBA). The meeting was also attended by British High Commissioner Ms Sarah Cooke, and Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Dr Augustine Mahiga.
Daily News
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