At total number of 8o farmers from Isansa and Magamba wards, Mbozi District in Mbeya Region, have complained about the Kibo Seeds Company through its agents for selling fake seeds that did not geminate, where they were forced to incur the cost of buying another seeds and thus exposing them to the loss of millions of shillings.
Speaking to the Guardian on Sunday yesterday, the farmers said the seed agents had sold them Kitale Hybrid 614 variety seed which is produced by Kibo Seed Company from Kenya.
One of the farmers, Elia Shipelele said that when he discovered that the seeds were counterfeit he sought for other seeds and fertilizer in order to conform to the farming season.
However, Shipelele has asked the government to look into the possibility of conducting inspections to the seed companies and seed agents before sending seeds to farmers in order to avoid losses.
For his part, Agricultural and Livestock Officer of Magamba Ward, Clemence Mmuya admitted the existence of the problem and claimed that he was among the farmers who had been affected by the fake seeds.
Mmuya said that due to the problem the government should make close follow-ups of the seed companies and its agents who supply seeds to farmers in order to remove uncertainty for farmers.
Referring to the complaints, Meru Green Care Company Director, Victor Lema said he also heard the complaints from farmers about the fake seeds.
Moreover Lema said that after receiving the complaint took steps to go to the district agricultural office who decided to contact the Kibo seeds company who wanted a list of names of farmers who have been suffered from this problem.
However Lema said a total of 80 farmers were affected by the problem of fake seeds in Mbozi district.By Friday Simbaya, Tunduma
Customs agents who provide customer service in the town of Tunduma Mbeya region have been warned to stop hash words that can repel visitors from abroad who arrived in the country to get services.
This was said yesterday by the education officer for the taxpayer from the tax authority (TRA) Mbeya Region, Kissa Kyejo during the sensitization workshop with the rules and procedures in the activities of customs agents and officials of the TRA.
Kyejo said that all customs agents are important to have a good language for customers who come into the country to seek for various services.
"Places like this that has a mixed of different people and those from various areas in the country it is important use good language applied to customers because we are going to lose so many visitors from neighboring countries," said the officer.
For his part, the customs officer in charge of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) of the Mbeya Region, Cosmas Magori said performance is good every customs agent adheres to the principles and procedures of work in order to bring about labor discipline.
He said that the most important things that existed in the seminar include better service for customers, the wearing of uniforms and identity cards aim to improve services especially foreign visitors and locally.
Concerned about corruption, Magori said he would not like to see customs unit to have corrupt leaders and drivers for guests who come to them to request services.
“I urge you to change in this, I will not like to hear guests complaining corruption from today start at this early implementation, follow work ethics to protect the honor" said Manager Magori.
By Friday Simbaya, Mbeya
Tanzania Electrical Supply Company (TANESCO) in Mbeya region said that in the next fiscal year will start to change and restructure its old electricity infrastructure to cope with the current demand.
Speaking yesterday at a meeting of TANESCO and big customers, Mbeya Tanesco Manager Engineer, Francis Maze said that the organization seeks to provide reliable electricity in a period not exceeding two years starting in July this year.
Engineer, Francis Maze said in the 2016/2017 financial year the organization has given priority to change the old infrastructure systems because it fails to withstand the current rate of electricity consumed due to the increase in users of the service in Mbeya.
"Mbeya region has the old system of supplying electricity we have to make major adjustments, cables are smaller incompatible with the requirements of the electricity needed at the moment, so from July after the start of the fiscal year we will begin the exercise and could take us 24 months to finish, but we have developed a strategy that will send us at least 12 months to finish "he said.
Maze said Tanesco will announce the tender to provide for a private contractor to do the work in order to finish on time and that they will announce tender in May this year.
Referring to the power situation in the region he said that there is currently certainty in electricity supply after TANESCO have installed new 60 megawatts Transform on at Mwakibete Sae area in Mbeya City Council.
He said before the month August this year they will improve the infrastructure that supply electricity to industries, including changing the eclectic poles that will improve conditions for the electricity to the biggest consumers of TANESCO.
For his part, electrical manager from Mbeya Cement Plant, Daud Rwebangila said that the biggest challenge they face was getting electricity which is not stable enough and it is hard for them on productive activities.
Rwebangila said that this challenge has been made them to stop work for several hours and sometimes unstable electricity supply cause damage to the electricity devices.
"We as big consumers we get great challenges of unbalanced electricity supply while factory activity is going on. This leads to burning of our equipment and sometimes we are forced to suspend production for some time. We want this kind of situation to be rectified once and for all," he lamented.
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