Government moves to draw best brains to public service

office chair with job vacancy sign. PHOTO | DREAMS TIME

What you need to know:

  • The government is advertising senior positions in key agencies as part of renewed efforts to improve the performance of State-owned enterprises

Dar es Salaam. The government has advertised senior positions in key State-owned agencies in a new move that seeks to attract the best brains to the public sector.

Last week, the government – through the President’s Office (Public Service Recruitment Secretariat) – invited qualified Tanzanians to apply for vacant positions of Executive Director of the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC), Director General of the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) and TTB Director of Marketing.

Presenting the government’s 2022/23 Budget in Parliament a fortnight ago, the Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr Mwigulu Nchemba, said the government would start recruiting heads of State-owned enterprises (SOEs) on a competitive recruitment basis in an effort to boost their performance.

He told the House that some SOEs had become a burden to the economy by solely depending on the government for their operations, noting that in some countries such institutions were a major source of government revenue, hence reducing the tax burden on citizens.

“I propose that the appointment of all CEOs of SOEs be done competitively for the relevant positions. Announcement for filling the positions should be made immediately once they fall vacant,” he said.

Dr Nchemba said the same would apply to boards of directors whereby successful candidates would be vetted and offered performance-based contracts.

“The government recommends that public commercial entities ensure that at all times they undertake their duties diligently, efficiently and with clear business focus in order to achieve the values and objectives for which they were established,” he said.

As for the public noncommercial entities, they will be assessed and benchmarked on their ability to be the catalyst in all facades of the economy as well as their service value addition to the respective sectors.

The Deputy Minister for Investment, Industry and Trade, Mr Exaud Kigahe, told The Citizen last week that since TIC is supposed to attract investors or the general good of Tanzania’s economy, it was only sensible that the institution is headed by a person with broad understanding and potential, especially in relation to the private sector and investment in general.

“We seek to improve the centre’s efficiency,” he said.

According to an economist from the University of Dar es Salaam, Dr Wilhelm Ngasamiaku, the move gave a chance to all competent Tanzanians, including those who are currently working in various positions in the private sector as well as those in diaspora, to apply for the posts.

According to the advertisements, apart from being Tanzanian, those interested in the vacant position of TIC Executive Director are required to have at least a master’s degree in Economics, Finance, Accounts, Business Administration with a major in Finance or Accounts, Marketing or Law. Those with a PhD will have an added advantage.

On the other hand, the position of TTB Director General requires a master’s degree in Tourism, Marketing and Business Administration, Commerce in Marketing, Human Resources Management, Public Administration, Economics or Law. With an exception of those who are already in the public service, all interested persons must not exceed 45 years of age and must have at least 12 years’ experience, three of which must be in managerial positions.

Those occupying the positions will be expected to play key roles in the execution of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s pro-business policies and allow the government to attract tourists and investments to create jobs for Tanzanians. The President has herself been making visits to several countries around the world she markets Tanzania’s investment potentials to investors and at the same, directing her lieutenants to ensure that they facilitate investments instead of bottlenecking the process.

Data, released by the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade, shows that Tanzania registered a total of 294 projects, worth Sh18.75 trillion, during the first one year of President Hassan in office.

The Industry, Investment and Trade Minister, Dr Ashatu Kijaji, said in March this year (2022) that such a value of registered investments has never been registered before in the history of independent Tanzania. Upon completion, the projects – registered between March 2021 and February 2022 – would create 62,301 jobs.

Those to occupy the posts of TTB Director General and TTB Director of Marketing will play key roles of ensuring that The Royal Tour documentary – in which President Hassan is herself depicted as a tour guide in an effort to boost tourism – yields positive and intended results.

Latest Bank of Tanzania figures shows that the tourism sector was on the right path to recovery from the effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic, with travel receipts more than doubling to $1.54 billion during the year ending April 2022, from $737.3 million during the preceding year.