THE Ministry of Finance and Planning has stressed that exworkers of the defunct East Africa Community have been paid their dues by the government.
The deputy minister, Ms Ashatu Kijaji,
has however provided a window for those with proof that they have not
received their benefits to present their cases for verification by the
government.
Ms Kijaji was responding to a
supplementary questions from Susan Lyimo (Special Seats – Chadema) and
Joseph Kakunda (Sikonge – CCM) who wanted to know the position of the
government on those who have not yet received their dues.
Ms Lyimo presented a case of a former
worker of the defunct EAC by the name of Malembeka who according to the
lawmaker had a claim of 15m/- but the government paid him 5m/-. She
said: “And these people are really old.
I would like to get the government’s
position that they have really cleared all the dues and the ex-workers
of the defunct EAC do not have any pending claims?” Mr Kakunda said more
than 20 former workers of the defunct EAC have been flocking in his
office with claims that they have not been paid their dues.
“Why can’t the government be more
proactive and follow up on this matter and settle the claims once and
for all?” he wondered. In her response Ms Kijaji said the government has
already issued its statement in the parliament with regard to payments
of the defunct EAC ex-workers that they all have been paid, “and that is
the position of the government on this matter.”
She however added that whoever has proof
that they have not been paid their dues her ministry is ready to
receive them and evaluate the proof and pay them their dues.
Ms Kijaji added that her ministry has
been conducting a verification exercise of all pensioners and has
already passed through Sikonge and Tabora but noted that those who were
not reached should present themselves to respective authorities with
relevant proof.
Responding to the basic question asked
by Special Seats MP, Ms Catherine Magige, the deputy minister of finance
and planning said 238 ex-workers of the then Hotel Seventy Seven in
Arusha who were laid off in 2000 have already been paid their dues.
Ms Kijaji said the government through
the then Parastatal Sector Reform Commission (PSRC) paid the workers a
total amount of 217,366,296/- in January 2000.
However following complains that they
were shortchanged PSRC did fresh verifications of the payment and in
August of the same year the government allowed payment of 273,816,703 to
the workers.
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