AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) has asked its members to refrain from using the corona pandemic pretext to lay off workers.
The TPSF Chairperson, Ms Angelina Ngalula told reporters that the world is passing through a very difficult period that called for rational actions by employers.
She called on all Tanzanian employers to work together and solve corona challenges instead of using the pandemic as an excuse for firing workers.
Sacking workers, the chairperson said, would create a big problem to individuals and the nation, explaining that the TPSF supported the government position on how to tackle the corona outbreak.
Ms Ngalula said it was important for all Tanzanians to continue working while taking all the necessary safety measures against the pandemic.
“Using problems for personal gain is not our Tanzanian culture. I appeal to employers countrywide to deal with challenges created by the outbreak of the disease instead of firing workers. Our friends whose clusters have been have been severely hit, like tourism and agriculture, should report their challenges to the task force that has been formed so that their challenges could be sent to the government,” she said.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Tanzanian Employers (ATE), Dr Aggrey Mlimuka, said this was not the right time for locking people indoors because, he said, the effects would be catastrophic on jobs and the economy.
“There are countries that have close public and private offices because of the pandemic. ATE supports the government’s position. People must report to work as usual while remaining watchful,” Dr Mlimuka said, calling on the government to exempt companies affected by the pandemic from paying levies.
The Executive Secretary of the Tanzania National Business Council, Dr Godwill Wanga, called on employers to cherish broader national interests instead of valuing narrow or personal interests.
“The Tanzanian corona situation is not so bad and we pray it should not worsen. Using the pandemic ploy to reduce jobs will damage our economy. We must be candid in exposing the challenges in order to save our economy,” Mr Wanga said.
