Acacia reduces 85pc of foreign employees

Dar es Salaam. Acacia Mining Company has trimmed the number of foreign workers by 85 per cent worldwide over the last five years.

This has been possible thanks to company’s Rainbow Leadership Development training Programme.

The internal training Programme is delivered through a series of class lectures, examinations and workplace assignments.

Through the programme, Acacia has trained leaders across a range of specialisations including mining, engineering (mechanical, electrical, civil), metallurgy, geology, and environment.

As of 2017, 96.2 per cent of the Acacia’s employees were Tanzanians, a statement released yesterday revealed.

Celebrating a graduation of its 105 employees, Acacia managing director for Tanzania, Mr Asa Mwaipopo said the programme focused on staff first-level management roles across Acacia and is designed to identify talents and develop their skills to the senior positions within the organisation.

“The Rainbow Programme was created and is delivered in its entirety by a team of highly-skilled Tanzanian professionals and is at the centre of Acacia’s localisation strategy in Tanzania,” he noted.

He added that the ceremony held on Friday evening in Mwanza, marked the fourth round of graduations from the company’s Rainbow Programme.

“I am honoured to award certificates to the 105 Acacia employees who have graduated from our Rainbow Leadership Development Programme today,” he said.

Mr Mwaipopo expressed his belief that the graduates have not only laid the groundwork for moving to senior leadership roles within Acacia, but also stand to contribute substantially in the Tanzania’s economic and industrialisation targets.

According to him, over the last two years a total of 204 employees across Acacia’s three mines; North Mara, Bulyanhulu and Buzwagi have completed the programme.

During the six-month intensive training, graduates completed eight separate modules which are; spanning team leadership, effective communication, management culture, company disciplinary and grievance codes.

Others are well-being in workplaces, managing interpersonal relationships, building trust and using internal systems.