Author: DEOGRATIUS KAMAGI
AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA) has expressed its gratitude over President John Magufuli’s promise of improving the welfare of workers in the next five years, saying the Head of State has brought new hope to employees.
While inaugurating the 12th Parliament in Dodoma on Friday, Dr Magufuli, among other things, expressed the government’s determination to work on the welfare of workers so that they can be able to cope with the high cost of living.
According to the head of state, workers shouldn’t be worried about their welfare because the government will do the needful to better their lives.
Responding to Dr Magufuli’s speech, President of TUCTA, Mr Tumaini Nyamhokya told the ‘africa-press’ that the pledge is of great relief to workers in the public and private sector.
The TUCTA boss is optimistic that the pledge will be implemented accordingly, which will be part of efforts of upgrading the living standard of the working class.
“This isn’t the beginning, the government has been considering improving the welfare of workers, and this was done through promotions that came with more benefits compared to salary increment,” he told this paper in a telephone interview.
He was of the view that since this time around it was the Head of State himself who gave the assurance, then there is no doubt that the pledge is up for effective implementation.
Even before mentioning it in Parliament, President Magufuli had already made the pledge during his presidential campaign for the October 28 general election.
“Since he is a man of action, I’m sure he will deliver, we members of TUCTA have been impressed by his commitment on our affairs,” he said, noting that salary increment to civil servants will also benefit those in the private sector.
In so doing, Dr Magufuli, also explained the continued commitment to fight corruption, embezzlement and misuse of public funds.
According to him, over the next five years, the second term of his fifth phase government will also strengthen good governance, and especially maintain discipline in the public service as well as intensify the fight against corruption, theft, embezzlement and misuse of public funds.
“Over the past five years, we have taken disciplinary action against 32,555 employees and enabled our country to rank first among 35 African countries in the fight against corruption, according to Transparent International,” the president revealed.
He also noted that due to such strong measures, Tanzania was also ranked 28th out of 136 countries in the world for efficient use of public funds, according to a 2019 World Economic Forum survey.
President Magufuli told Parliamentarians and the public in general that all the things his government has planned to implement for the next five years are set out in the 2020/2025 election manifesto of the ruling CCM.
In the fight against corruption and in recognizing that graft is the enemy of justice, CCM has openly indicated in its election manifesto that it will never tolerate acts of corruption in any way, and to achieve these goals, the ruling party has further directed the government to take various measures.
During his first five years 2015-2020 in office, the President had been quoted assuring his love for workers, noting that the government was working on their challenges.
“The fifth phase government is in love with workers and ready to fight for them, but they have to work hard,” noted President Magufuli in one of his meetings with leaders of workers union at statehouse in April 2017.
