VP wants private sector to work closely with govt

KATARE MBASHIRU

VICE-PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan addresses participants when she launched the Female Future Tanzania Programme that aims at mobilising talent for women in Dar es Salaam yesterday. (Photo by VPO)

VICE President (VP), Samia Suluhu Hassan has asked the private sector to work closely with the government to ensure that women are involved in all stages of economic growth starting from providing tertiary services to being at the decision making tables.

“Knowing what we know about the role of women in driving macroeconomic growth, and how women can contribute to sustainable growth and development, it is clear that we must make far better use of women in the workforce especially in corporate board rooms.

The VP was speaking yesterday in Dar es Salaam at the launch of the Female Future Programme that aims at attracting more women into leading positions and on Boards of Directors of Companies.

The Programme is coordinated by the Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE), in collaboration with the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO).

Officiating the launching of the programme, Ms Hassan said Tanzania stands a higher chance to rise only if the entire country’s population had equal opportunities and were provided with the chance to develop their talents and put them towards creating prosperity for the country.

“Equality for women is progress for all. We need to think differently and invest in women leadership as the way to change Tanzania’s political and economic landscape to deliver on the country’s Inclusive Growth Agenda,’’ she added.

She commended the establishment of the programme in the country which she said would help to promote business competitiveness for equal distribution of resources.

“Fortunately, the programme that we are launching today comes at the very right and yet challenging moment where the debate about the role of women in business life is rapidly transforming itself” she insisted.

Speaking at the same occasion, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Parliament, Labour, Youth, Employment and People With Disabilities), Jenister Mhagama, said the programme would help in promoting talents to the men and women of Tanzania and attain vision 2025 which aims at ensuring the country is becoming a middle income economy by 2025.

“Currently, Tanzanian unemployment rate stands at 10.3 percent; therefore, job creation should be a development agenda that the government should focus on,’’ she noted.

ATE Executive Director, Aggrey Mlimuka, said the major aims of the programme is to get more women into management positions, decision making processes and on Corporate Boards and that it will be delivered through executive training on Leadership, Rhetoric and Board Competence where as the courses will be directly linked to participants’ daily work routine at their workplaces.

Minister Counselor, at the Norwegian embassy, Mr Jealous Chirove, said the private sector had a role to play and that Norway was encouraging more women to be given positions in leadership and in the corporate world because experience indicated that they have ability to deliver.