Sunday, April 30, 2017

Sacked servants mull over appeal options

DAILY NEWS Reporters


WITH only two weeks remaining for about 10,000 public servants to quit their jobs over fake certificates, some victims are exploring avenues to appeal against the sacking.

President John Magufuli last Friday ordered all public employees with forged academic documents to voluntarily quit their offices by May 15 or risk prosecution. But, some victims whose names have appeared on the list of ‘shame’ have maintained their innocence, claiming possession of genuine credentials.
They have instead said they are considering to appeal against the dossier. One of the victims who preferred anonymity, described as bad and shocking news to have his name appearing on the list, vowing to follow up on the matter to its conclusive end.
Dr Magufuli has in several times complained over public servants with fake certificates costing the government billions of money in payment of salaries and other benefits.
The President’s Office, Public Service Management and Good Governance commissioned evaluation of certificates was executed by a 15-person team as a followup exercise after the nationwide crackdown on ghost workers.
The removal of 19,706 ghost workers from the government payroll saved the state coffers 19.8bn/- monthly and about 240 annually as salaries to nonexistent workers. About 10,000 names of fake certificate holders were published in the Sunday News yesterday, with Dar es Salaam municipalities topping the list with high number of deceits.
The report, which was handed over to President Magufuli on Friday, shows that of the five district councils, Ilala tops the list with 330 unqualified employees in its payroll. Temeke and Ubungo district councils come second and third, having 270 and 151 forgeries, respectively.
Other councils in Dar es Salaam with the numbers of forgeries in brackets are Kinondoni (126), Kigamboni (40), Dar es Salaam City Council (15) and Dar es Salaam Regional Administrative Secretary (6).
Another report for over 100,000 workers in the central government is expected out this Friday after completion of certificate verification.
Meanwhile, Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) intends to file against the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda over alleged use of phony academic certificates.
TLS President Tundu Lissu told reporters in Dodoma yesterday that there has been wide circulating claims that the RC is using another person’s certificate and his real name is Daudi Albert Bashite. “This is contrary to the country’s law and is a criminal offence punishable by up to seven years in jail,” he said.
TLS decision comes barely two days after President Magufuli sacked about 10,000 civil servants following an independent team that discovered they had forgery academic certificates. Mr Lissu further argued that the RC’s use of fake certificate and the name, which legally is not his, had tarnished the government image.
“That is to say that the government protects fraudsters...he has committed the offence and must be punished as per the law,” he said. But the state clarified on Friday that political leaders, including Ministers, Regional Commissioners, District Commissioners, legislators and councillors were excluded from the nationwide crackdown.
The verification, according to Minister of State in the President’s Office, Public Service and Good Governance, Angellah Kairuki focused on public employees in local government authorities, public institution, corporations and agencies.
The fate of officials in the central government will be determined this Friday when the Minister for Education, Science, Technology and Vocational Training Prof Joyce Ndalichako presents the verification report of their documents.

No comments :

Post a Comment