PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete has said preliminary findings have shown that there are about 3.9 million pound deposits of uranium at Namtumbo area in Ruvuma region. He said that such deposits alone could rank Tanzania the seventh country in the world with large deposits of uranium. He said this in Arusha yesterday when he visited the headquarters of the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission (TAEC) in Themi Hills, Njiro area in Arusha Municipality.
Mantrax Company currently exploring uranium at Namtumbo, informed the President of such huge deposits and that the company would start mining them in the next two years. The President said that there were indications of other huge uranium deposits at Manyoni in Singida region.
He, however, cautioned that mining and usage of uranium in the country should be strictly regulated and monitored in order to mitigate its effects.
He informed that the Executive Director of the International Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) Dr Mohamed Al Baradei who was in the country recently told him that development of nuclear energy needed huge investment which Tanzania alone could not afford.
Meanwhile President Kikwete has commended TAEC for professionalism competence, saying he had been impressed by the performance of the commission.
Dr Baradei had equally expressed same sentiments during his recent visit to the commission. He reiterated governments continued support to the commission to enable it perform its duties efficiently.
The President promised to seek funds for construction of laboratories at the commission. He directed the Permanent Secretary in the ministry for Communications, Science and Technology Dr Naomi Katunzi also to work on the matter.
The presidents promise followed a request by the chairperson of the commission Professor John Kandoro that his commission was facing problem of well equipped laboratories. Mr Kikwete also cautioned politicians over politicizing scientific and Technological issues while they had little knowledge on such issues.
This follows statements to the commissions experts that radiations caused by cellular phones are causing cancer and other health problems. The president said that some politicians had been politicizing scientific and Technological issues for cheap publicity while creating confusion in the society. The President who was in a four day tour in Arusha region is expected to wind up today.
Daily News
Post published in: Economy