COMMUNICATION
officers in the country have been urged to execute their duties by
abiding by Media Services Act 2016 which provides an opportunity for
journalists to have access to information and air them to the citizens
so that they could be well informed about the development of their
country.
The
Director of Tanzania Information Services and Chief Government
Spokesperson, Dr Hassan Abbas made the remark in Dar es Salaam over the
weekend during his tour of the New Habari Limited.
Dr
Abbas was informed about the challenges facing journalists in accessing
information from communication officers of various government
institutions.
“It
is true there are some communication officers who hold back efforts by
journalists to access information, my office has noticed that and we had
set a strategy to make sure that each institution provides information
so that citizens could know what is going on in their country,” he said.
He
further explained that the Media Services Act approved by the
Parliament in November 2016 and assented to by President John Magufuli
on November 16 the same year, among other things focuses on safeguarding
the interests of journalists, protect their work and improve the
profession so that it can be respected like other careers.
Dr
Abbas, however, said that there are plans to establish a special Fund
for journalists in the country aimed at enabling the professionals to
conduct news researches and various community programmes instead of
relying on funds from other organisations which are being disbursed with
conditions.
He
reminded media practitioners in the country to join various academic
institutions in the country to upgrade their careers so that they can
adhere to the current regulations which recognise diploma as the minimum
qualification for journalists which will come into force at the end of
2021.
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