Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has directed government communication officers to communicate government plans and programmes to the public timely and effectively.
She hinted that communication officers are duty bound to ensure the public is fully and correctly informed, thus they ought to be more proactive and vibrant.
The president gave the directives via a text message delivered yesterday to the government communication officers through the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Arts, Culture and Sports Dr Hassan Abbasi during an Annual Meeting of the Tanzania Association of Government Communication Officers (TAGCO).
The Head of State also challenged the officers to have a proper system that will enable them to communicate government’s issue, programmes and agendas to the public.
“Have a proper way to communicate with the public on various government issues – be it positive or negative…you must have a way to communicate, the public needs information. You should not wait until the public gets angry, be proactive,” read part of the text.
The Minister for Information, Arts, Culture and Sports Innocent Bashungwa also appealed to the government communication officers to be vibrant and more active in executing their duties of informing the public on various projects implemented by the government.
Officiating at the opening of a five-day meeting of the TAGCO, Mr Bashungwa said the government was implementing numerous strategic projects billed to transform lives of Tanzanians, yet little was being accurately communicated.
He said, though such projects were implemented across the country, the public was still unaware—calling on the communication officers to play their key role of releasing information, timely and accurately.
He noted that releasing information was in accordance with the Tanzania Media Services Act, which among other issues, stresses on the public’s right to get informed.
“Government is at work. A lot is being implemented, yet the public is not fully informed. You must know that it’s your duty to communicate such issues to the public,” he noted.
He called on all relevant authorities including municipal, councils, regional authorities and public institutions to fully engage communication officers in implementation of various projects.
The minister noted that communication officers were the main link between the government and the public, thus it was illogical for such officials to remain excluded.
He called on all TAGCO members to have a wide understanding of the ruling CCM party’s 2020 election manifesto, national development plans, ministries’ strategic plans and various speeches made by top government officials, hinting that such documents were vital for them to effectively and efficiently carry out their duties.
On the other hand, the minister said the government will not hesitate to take action against underperformers, insisting that it was high time they kept their houses in order.
The Permanent Secretary in the President’s Office –Regional Administration and Local Government Prof Riziki Shemdoe noted that his ministry is ready to offer all needed support to the communication officers to ensure they execute their duties effortlessly.
Tanzania Standard Newspapers (TSN), publisher of the Daily News, Sunday News and HabariLeo, is one of the main sponsors of this year’s TAGCO annual meeting.
