Hiring foreign workers desirable

Does Tanzania have the skills it needs to achieve its industrialization goals? That is a question which is often asked, but is yet to be fully addressed by the relevant authorities.
The late business mogul Reginald Mengi of the IPP (Industrial Products Promotion) Ltd wrote in his book I Can, I must, I Will, “Hiring expatriates is expensive. But, as a businessman, I have no choice because the matter of delivery is of utmost importance. We Tanzanians, our attitude towards work is not what it ought to be...”
It is generally accepted that Tanzania is not following a path that is different from the path that has been followed by many other countries, including the United States, arguably the world’s economic powerhouse.
But that prosperity has not been built by indigenes alone. The most prosperous city in the world, New York, is 80 percent inhabited by foreigners from across the world.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan seems to have noticed that there is a problem with Tanzania’s work permits system for potential-cum-prospective foreign workers.
Tanzania may be for Tanzanians, rhetorically speaking. But, selectively allowing competent, eligible foreign workers who are truly needed in the nation’s development in the absence of equally competent Tanzanians should not be taboo or ‘verboten’.
To be clear on this, I stress that foreign experts of high calibre and diligence may be critically needed in our country in terms of technology transfer and such aspects. These should normally be allowed into the country.
There are different categories of work permits in Tanzania: Classes A permits for “employed foreigners”; Class B, for “foreigners employed by companies or institutions”; and Class C for “other foreigners – such as missionaries, students, volunteers, researchers and retired persons”.
Tanzanians feel proud that our very own son of the soil Patrick Mugoya was appointed Chief Executive of the South Sudan Revenue Authority, while the late Prof Benno Ndulu was appointed as Economic Advisor by President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa.
Imagine the excitement if Kenyan Prof P L O Lumumba, author of Magufulification of Africa, was appointed legal adviser to Tanzania’s fifth President, the late Dr John Pombe Magufuli.
We must avoid double standards and similarly conflicting shenanigans. And, in this regard, the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) has identified the challenges bedevilling our work permits system.
Most unfortunately, there are those who think advocating appropriate work permits conditions and fast-tracked processing is in conflict with the interest of Tanzania in building its own human resource capacity.
In my view, this is not the case on the ground. Going by the available facts, we know of an Italian leading British Telecoms and an Indian leading Pepsi Cola International in the US.
The idea of isolationism was slowly creeping into the body politic of Tanzania, thus getting our leased drift away from the ideals which Mwalimu Julius Nyerere stood for, including establishing a United Africa.
A foreigner who was appointed to lead an international NGO in Tanzania had to overcome hurdles to obtain a work permit. What’s interesting is that the National Examination Council of Tanzania (Necta) went through his O-Level certificates and his Division One grade.
This is a process requirement which makes no sense – especially considering that you hire a foreign expert on account of his or her high level qualifications, academic and professional.
It turns out that this is one of the many hurdles an applicant must surmount in the process of obtaining a work permit in Tanzania.
Earlier, we did mention that there are different types of work permits: Classes A, B and C.
If we are happy with the appointment of Benno Ndulu and Patrick Mugoya in foreign lands, why are making it nearly impossible for foreigners to come and work in Tanzania?
The same applies to permits for foreign direct investors, access of which must be made easier than it is now.
It is time that President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government eliminated the hurdles in the processes for foreign workers, investors, etc., making them more friendly – so to speak.