Educate citizens on ‘local content’, MPs told

DAILY NEWS Reporter in Dodoma

Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Parliament, Labour Employment, Youth and Disabled), Jenister Mhagama

Reporter in Dodoma MEMBERS of Parliament (MPs) were yesterday called upon to educate the public on policies and other various skills they have so that Tanzanians keep abreast of what is going around in the country.

The Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Parliament, Work, Youth, Employment and Disabled), Ms Jenista Mhagama, said legislators are good ambassadors to the public, adding that once they are understood well, it will be easy for the citizens to be knowledgeable on all sorts of expectations required of them.

“It is my optimism that this training on local content is of paramount importance to you (legislators) all, because the knowledge imparted to you will enable the citizens to bring positive change in our society,” she said.

The minister made the remark here while attending a seminar on ‘Local Content” that was organised by the National Economic Empowerment Council (NEEC) for the Parliamentary Committees. She further said that it is important for citizens living near industries or big projects to be involved in all preliminary stages of their developments. “This is important in any investment so that they become enlightened on the project,” she pointed out.

The minister added that enlightening the citizens by legislators on local content is another way of making them become responsible as NEEC is tasked to coordinate all empowerment related activities in the country.

Earlier, the NEEC Board Chairman, Dr John Jingu said closely working with the public and investors there is usually a strengthened mutual understanding that keeps off rifts in the projects in the society.

“The big challenge here is the understanding of our people and their involvement in business ventures or projects,” Dr Jingu said, adding that the Council is prepared to educate and sensitise the public on all sorts of developments in the country.

On his part, the Chairman of Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Security, Ambassador Adadi Rajabu praised the seminar as a fruitful forum where legislators can also learn and in turn share their knowledge with their constituents in the national economy.

“We have all the reasons to educate our people on the significance of adding value in our products to meet the growing demand in the markets,” added Mr Rajabu who is Muheza Constituency MP.

He cited the case of good work of Muleba Constituency (South) MP, Prof Anna Tibaijuka, who tasked her council to meet its stakeholders to review what local content is all about and share it with the local villagers.

Speaking at the same occasion, the NEEC Executive Secretary, Ms Beng’i Issa said the objective of the seminar was broaden and included understanding Parliament and the Council’s activities and thereby share what is learnt countrywide.

“It is our hope that since these legislators are coming from councils where big investment projects are being implemented, I believe they will stand in a better position to supervise and roll them out professionally,” she pointed out.

About 152 legislators from Parliamentary Committees attended the seminar organised that was also sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).