Author: DATIVA MINJA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) Ilala Region has managed to save 69.2m/- from Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute (MOI) that belonged to Muhumbili staff SACCOS-MUSACCOS that was on the verge of disappearing.
A SACCO is an acronym for Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations owned, governed and managed by its members who have the same common bond and may be working for the same employer in the same community.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam, on Thursday Ilala Regional PCCB Deputy Chief, Elizabeth Mokiwa said they received a tip that the MUSACCOS was not paying its staff as well as those who had ceased employment on different grounds, making them lose their basic rights and genuine dues.
“After that PCCB zoomed into action and investigations revealed that the MUSACCOS was legally registered in 2003 as DSR 719 with members from Muhimbili National Hospital general staff, Muloganzila branch, Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) and Sisa Community Health Centre”. She continued: “With deep probe we learnt that MUSACCOS had some chronic debtors making it to become unable to pay its members on time and again it found itself in the quagmire as a result of a poor system it was using, let alone poor records’ keeping and failure to service a debt it took from CRDB”.
She added: “This issue of CRDB came as a result of violating procedures and hence paid with losses and forwarding MOI’s staff dues to MUSACCOS, which in a way delayed the whole system of paying back”.
“So today (Thursday) PCCB Ilala region is handing over 69.254, 900/- saved as collections from chronic debtors to the leadership of MUSACCOS so that they continue with paying members as a result of resolutions passed in the 2018 general assembly meeting,” she pointed out.
In addition, the Regional PCCB Deputy Chief sent a strong warning to all SACCOS, including employers countrywide, who do not to pay their staff on time that they will not hesitate to take legal action against them, adding that it is a criminal offense to do so.
On his part, MUSACCOS Chairperson, Tumaini Mbonea said apart from their strategies of collecting debts from individuals, they asked PCCB to continue helping them so that they finally get back all monies owed to them.
