Tanzanian Ministry of Energy and Minerals

The Ministry of Energy and Minerals (MEM) was established under the Minister (Discharge of Ministerial Functions) Act, Cap. 229 Government Notice (GN) No. 494 of 2010, which came into operation on 24th November 2010. Before the establishment of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals MEM), energy and mineral issues were being handled by Ministry of Commerce and Industry (1960 - 1961), Ministry of Industries, Mineral Resources and Power (1964 - 1966), Ministry of Water, Power and Mineral Resources (1978 -1981), Ministry of Minerals (1981 - 1984), Ministry of Energy and Minerals (1986 - 1990) and Ministry of Water, Energy and Minerals (1991 - 1996).

Mission and Vision
According to the ministry’s homepage, the ministry is guided by a mission to “set policies, strategies and laws for sustainability of energy and mineral resources to enhance growth and development of the economy,” with a vision to become “an effective institution, contributing significantly to the acceleration of socio-economic development through sustainable development and utilisation of energy and mineral resources in Tanzania by 2025.”

Functions
The fundamental responsibility of the ministry is to coordinate and put in place appropriate policies, laws and regulations and to provide oversight to ensure sustainable development in the energy and mineral sector. The ministry has an oversight role in state-owned and statutory bodies namely:


 * Tanzania Minerals Audit Agency (TMAA)
 * Geological Survey of Tanzania (GST)
 * State Mining Corporation (STAMICO),
 * Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA)
 * Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO)
 * Rural Energy Agency (REA) of Tanzania
 * Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC)
 * Mineral Resources Institute (MRI)

Strategic Plan
The ministry is guided by a 5 year Strategic Plan, 2011/12 - 2015-16. The plan highlights five strategic areas as indicated below:
 * Promote, develop and monitor the energy sector to maximise national benefits and ensure energy security
 * Promote and expedite access to modern energy in rural areas
 * Promote, develop and manage the mineral sectors to maximize national benefits
 * Improve revenue collections from minerals and energy sectors, as well as
 * Improve on human resource and financial management.



Organisation
Sospeter Muhongo is the Minister of Energy and Minerals. He is deputised by Dr. Medard Kalemani and the Acting Permanent Secretary Ngosi Mwihava. The Ministry is subdivided into two major divisions: Energy Division and Mineral Division. The Energy division is headed by a Commissioner and it has five sections including Petroleum, Electricity, New and Renewable Energy, Energy Development, and Gas Utilisation. The Mineral Division is also headed by a Commissioner and has six sections including Mines Inspectorate, Small Scale Mining Development, Licensing and Mineral Rights Management, Mineral Economics and Trading, Explosive Management, and Mineral Beneficiation and Value Addition.

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