Shein orders ministers to achieve goals

ISSA YUSSUF in Zanzibar

ZANZIBAR President Ali Mohamed Shein

PRESIDENT Ali Mohamed Shein has asked ministers and executives in different ministries to ensure that the development goals outlined in the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) 2015/2020 manifesto are on track.

“We promised, therefore we must fulfil! Each ministry should evaluate itself from time-to-time and also meet the electorate in order to discuss the challenges that afflict them,” Dr Shein said in a meeting with staff from some ministries.

The get-together was aimed at checking the performance of each ministry in implementing the Manifesto. CCM’s election manifesto identified priority areas which include: Decent work and sustainable livelihoods, education, health, rural development, food security and land reform and the fight against crime and corruption.

At a separate meeting with staff from ‘Labour, Empowerment, Elders, Youths, Women and Children; the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Livestock and Fisheries;’ and the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communication and Transport,’ Dr Shein asked the civil servants to “pull-up their socks.”

Dr Shein has developed frequent meetings with individual ministries to evaluate the performance in implementing various project programmes. In each implementation forum ministers and all other parties responsible for delivering on an outcome, talk about the successes and challenges and the way forward.

“You need to meet people in both Unguja and Pemba and listen to them. You also need to know the areas that require more attention,” Dr Shein said as the Minister for Infrastructure, Ambassador Ali Abeid Karume, commended him for the close follow-up of the implementation initiatives.

The minister responsible for Agriculture, Mr Hamad Rashid Mohamed, said: “We are on track in making sure that we meet people’s expectations including increasing food production.”

However, Mr Mohamed asked the government to raise the budget for agriculture at least to ten per cent as par ‘Maputo Declaration’ which mandated that African governments commit themselves to spending at least 10 per cent of their budgets on agriculture by 2015.

The Minister for Agriculture said it is possible to produce 80 per cent of Zanzibar’s demand for food (mainly rice) by 2020 or earlier should the government and the private sector be committed.

The ministry in charge of women, the elderly and children’s affairs said they have been working hard to overcome the challenges worrying vulnerable groups by empowering them to overcome economic hardships.