JPM tells TUCTA: I will work with you if you deliver

DAILY NEWS Reporter

President John Magufuli

 PRESIDENT John Magufuli

PRESIDENT John Magufuli yesterday met with leaders of the Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA), pledging his government’s commitment to fight for workers’ interests.

But there’s catch: That the latter should make national interests come before theirs and that they resolve to work hard, too.

Dr Magufuli assured them of his government’s continued support and readiness to work with the TUCTA - for the betterment of the nation as a whole.

Apart from this cooperation, the head of state said the government was ready to accept the views and advice from the workers’ association with the aim of improving workers welfare and facilitating efficiency at work places.

“The important thing is to put national interests up front … (you) go and tell (your) workers to work hard and the government will protect them,” he told the leaders of the TUCTA who visited him at State House in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

Dr Magufuli noted that the government was aware of the challenges facing the workers and that it would continue taking measures to address them.

Speaking after President Magufuli, the TUCTA leaders led by their president Tumaini Nyamhokya, commended Dr Magufuli for his sterling efforts at building a strong economy, strengthening public workers performance, fighting corruption, removing ‘ghost’ workers and paying up all overdue benefits owing to all public employees.

The trade union leaders also promised President Magufuli that TUCTA would cooperate with the government in overseeing the rights and responsibilities of the workers and asked the government to continue working on workers “grievances, including paying them their benefits and improving working conditions.”

Meanwhile, Dr Magufuli commended Rwanda for its decision to make Kiswahili one of the subjects in its schools. He gave the commendation through Rwandan Education Minister, Dr Musafiri Papias Malimba, who visited him at the State House.

President Magufuli promised Rwanda that Tanzania was ready to deploy its Kiswahili teachers to Rwanda – during talks that touched on a range of issues regarding cooperation between the two countries, education sector in particular.