MINISTER of State in the President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government, Mr Selemani Jafo has, with immediate effect, banned and nullified all travel permits for regional and district commissioners, as well as other Local Government Authority officials for failure to effectively execute their duties at their work stations.
From now on, all RCs, DCs, local government leaders and top executives will not be allowed to leave their work stations to attend seminars or other forms of training within or outside the country.
According to the minister, there has been a growing tendency by many of the officials applying for travel permits to attend seminars while a lot of pending business awaits them in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
Mr Jafo issued the orders on Thursday evening in Dodoma, directing the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Engineer Joseph Nyamhanga, to nullify all the travel permits that had been issued prior to the fresh orders.
“My letter dated August 9, 2019 on projects supervision clearly directed all local government leaders and top executives to effectively supervise projects in their respective areas without going out from their work stations,” said Mr Jafo.
The minister further observed that some of the officials had been spotted elsewhere while their respective areas were ravaged by natural calamities.
He cited an example of the floods which hit some regions in the country hard, while such officials didn’t address the problem with requisite seriousness.
“This serves as a last warning; from now onwards, the officials are strictly prohibited from leaving their work stations,” the minister stressed.
The orders apply to District Administrative Secretaries (DAS) who were intending to pursue various trainings at the Centre for Foreign Relations (CFR), whose permits have been revoked.
The Local government ministry is considered to be the backbone of the country’s development since over 70 per cent of the development budget implements development projects under local government authorities.
Meanwhile, Minister Jafo yesterday ordered the suspension of Morogoro District Council employee Daniel Elimringi, for allegedly tearing a religious book.
Jafo’s statement comes after a photo that went viral on social media showed the employee of the department of finance, business section at the Kilosa District Council committing the woeful offence.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Mr Jafo said he directed the district executive director to suspend his staff and enforce other disciplinary actions against the civil servant.
“I say this from the fact that I am the Minister of State in the Office of President. This matter is under my ministry,” he said adding; “Kilosa council is one of the many councils under my watch,” he said.
He wanted the Kilosa authority to implement the minister’s directives without hesitation.
“They have to launch an investigation into the matter to establish what exactly caused the official to commit such a heinous crime,” the premier remarked.
In the meantime, he wanted the regional authorities to oversee a justifiable execution of his order and for ensuring peace and stability is maintained in the region.
“Such acts are not healthy in our nation as people from all religions have always lived in peace,” said Jafo.
