JK calls for joint drive to create jobs

Labour and Employment minister, Gaudensia Kabaka (Left), hands over the runners-up trophy to the CRDB Bank Deputy Managing Director, Esther Kitoka during the employer of the year award 2012 held in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday evening. Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania took top honours at the gala. PHOTO/ VENANCE NESTORY Dar es Salaam. President Jakaya Kikwete has urged employers in the private sector to team up with the government and create more jobs for the youth.He said during the Employer of the Year Awards on Wednesday evening that there still was room for collaboration between employers and the government to address unemployment. “The government alone cannot improve the business environment and create more jobs. Collaborative opportunity between the private sector employers and the government is highly needed. At present there isn’t no enough collaboration among researchers, employers and the government,” President Kikwete said at the event organised by the Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE). He said there were useful research findings at the Nelson Mandela University of Science and Technology in Arusha, but employers have not been taking advantage of such facilities. “ATE should work with this institution to establish chains in the production process that will create more jobs. Employers should join hands with the government in the noble cause of creating more employment opportunities.” President Kikwete said he doubted the 12 per cent unemployment figure given by experts because the agriculture sector, which employs the majority of people in Tanzania, has many poor people without reliable employment. He urged companies to procure goods and services locally instead of sourcing them from outside, adding that this would create more jobs. Earlier, ATE chairperson Almas Maige said that the lack of skilled workers was still a major problem affecting business in the country. Another hurdle employers were grappling with was lack of attractive business environment, he added. “The cost of doing business, according to the latest World Bank report, is still very high in Tanzania,” he said, adding that ATE was still pushing for a review of the six per cent skills and development levy to reduce burden on employers. “ATE carried out a study and established that the skills and development levy was a hindrance to employers’ efforts to improve employees’ skills,” Mr Maige said.Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania was named the Employer of the Year, with CRDB Bank and Tanzania Breweries Limited taking second and third positions, respectively. Among the new sub-categories with the winners in brackets include General Human Resources Management and Practice (CRDB Bank), Staff Training and Development Policy (PPF), Performance Management (Airtel Tanzania) and Labour Relations Practice (Tanzania Posts Corporation). Others are Employees Relations (Medical Stories Department), HIV/Aids intervention (Standard Chartered Bank), Occupational Health and Safety (Anglo Ashanti Gold Mine), Equal Employment Opportunity (Standard Chartered Bank) and Leadership and Governance (Vodacom).