JPM: Why I dissolved TRA board

DAILY NEWS Reporters in Kibaha

PRESIDENT John Magufuli revealed yesterday that he decided to sack the Board Chairman of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) and dissolved the entire board following its decision to deposit 26bn/- in fixed accounts in commercial banks.

“There has been a tendency by some public officials to hoard in fixed accounts huge amounts of public funds in commercial banks and make away with profits accrued. The trend causes the government to experience shortage of funds and as a result turn to the banks for loans at high interests,” he noted.

Dr Magufuli explained that the 26bn/- was allocated for TRA’s expenditure but the board approved a decision to deposit the funds in fixed accounts in three different commercial banks.

“After I learned of the irregularity, I directed that the money should be returned and thereafter dissolved the board,” Dr Magufuli explained yesterday in his speech during the 31st graduation ceremony of the Open University of Tanzania (OUT).

The president further revealed that he had learned that the Tanzania Education Authority (TEA) has as well hoarded some money in fixed accounts and yet it has been seeking contributions from various stakeholders.

“TEA was established for a purpose, now it bothers me that it calls for contributions and yet it has funds stashed in fixed accounts,” he noted with concerns. Dr Magufuli directed the Minister for Education, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, Professor Joyce Ndalichako, who was present at the graduation ceremony to take appropriate actions.

Early this week, President Magufuli sacked the Board Chairman of TRA, Mr Bernard Mchomvu and dissolved the entire board of the revenue authority. Mr Mchomvu’s sacking was announced through a State House statement, which, however, did not specify the reason for his removal. Mr Mchomvu was first appointed TRA board chairman in August 2011.

Meanwhile, the government stated yesterday that it will continue to oversee quality of education in institutions of higher learning by ensuring that they admit qualified students to undertake courses they apply for.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of OUT, Prof Elifas Bisanda, had complained that the institutions had failed to admit a large number of students this year due to a requirement by the Tanzania Commission Universities (TCU) to only register qualified students.

“Many students who lacked qualification to undertake degree courses as per TCU criteria were given foundation courses at OUT before pursuing degree courses, but TCU has banned this arrangement,” Prof Bisanda complained.

In response, Dr Magufuli stressed that there is no shortcut in education, stating that quality of training offered to students was important. “As higher learning institutions, you should set qualities just like other varsities. It is better if we had only 10 qualified students rather than 20,000 who are not,” the president remarked.

Magufuli also hailed OUT for providing education to many Tanzanians and establishing branches in other countries in the East African region, pledging more government support for the distance learning institution.

During the graduation ceremony, OUT Chancellor and Retired Prime Minister, Mr Mizengo Pinda, conferred degrees, diploma and certificates to 4,038 graduates