THE government announced on Tuesday that it was starting a comprehensive investigation to unearth and take stern measures against private employers who offer jobs to foreigners for which there are qualified locals.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour, Employment, Youth and the Disabled), Anthony Mavunde warned in Dar es Salaam that all employers must abide by the country’s laws.
He said employers engaging foreign workers must adhere to the country’s employment and regulation law that requires them to prepare succession plans as well charting plans for transferring expertise from non-citizens to local workers.
“We are set to conduct an investigation to identify employers defying the Act in order to take stern measures including blocking their working permits,” he said, adding such measures will ensure that many Tanzanians are given employment opportunities illegally offered to foreigners.
In line with that, Mr Mavunde directed employers in the private sector to chart training programmes aimed at building capacity for local employees, for them to take over upon the expiry of the contracts of non-citizens.
He said the country’s labour sector was dominated by low-skilled workers, stressing the need for the employers to chart out plans that would ensure that local employees, mostly the youth, acquire opportunities for developing their skills and careers for the betterment of the country.
He said the government was ready to cooperate with employers with such plans to equip local employees with meaningful skills and career development opportunities, especially the youth to keep them engaged and make them creative for facilitating success of the country’s future development plans.
Mr Mavunde, who was speaking at a function to reward the youth after successfully completing a skills training programme facilitated by TATA Motors Tanzania Company, challenged other organisations to chart out plans for training local employees and youth in and outside the country on skills and career development.
