What OTR awards mean for public entities

ARUSHA: A PUBLIC entity can increase revenue, control expenditure and improve services, but its performance cannot be considered complete if it fails to uphold accountability, transparency and good governance.

That is one of the key messages emerging from the operational efficiency awards presented by the Office of the Treasury Registrar (OTR) during the opening of the Chairpersons and CEOs (C-CEOs) Forum 2026 in Arusha, graced by Vice-President Deogratius Ndejembi.

Held from September 28 to 30, the forum brought together more than 700 participants from public institutions and companies, providing a platform to examine how public entities can improve performance and contribute more effectively to the economy.

It was at the forum that Treasury Registrar Nehemiah Mchechu announced institutions recognised for their performance against OTR’s operational efficiency criteria.

Mr Mchechu said public entities are expected to strengthen internally generated revenue, control expenditure, achieve appropriate returns on capital, uphold good governance and reduce unnecessary dependence on government funding.

The objective, he said, is to ensure public resources are used efficiently while creating greater capacity for institutions to sustain their operations and deliver better services.

The awards covered four categories: Commercial entities; non-commercial entities; commercial and non-commercial entities assessed on governance, control and transparency; and entities demonstrating improvements in service delivery.

In each category, the top ten performers were recognised, with the top three taking the leading positions.

For the institutions at the top, the awards provide recognition that their systems and practices are producing measurable results.

But their wider significance lies in creating benchmarks that enable public entities to identify gaps, learn from stronger performers and improve.

In the commercial category, Tanga Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (Tanga UWASA) emerged first, followed by Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) and Tanzania Mercantile Exchange (TMX).

For Tanga UWASA Managing Director Geofrey Hilly, the recognition acknowledges the Authority’s commitment to accountability, prudent resource management and value for money.

“For Tanga UWASA, this award is a strong recognition of our commitment to accountability, prudent resource management and value for money,” he says.

Mr Hilly says the award is also significant for the water sector and should inspire the Authority to raise the bar further in ensuring resources entrusted to it are used efficiently and effectively to strengthen service delivery and create lasting value for communities.

He attributes part of the Authority’s performance to consistency in its operations, including timely compensation payments to investors, made twice a year, as well as effective management of resources allocated to development projects.

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The Authority’s major project has continued without interruption since its commencement, with some communities already benefiting before its completion.

The experience illustrates an important dimension of operational efficiency: financial discipline matters most when it translates into tangible results for people who depend on public services.

In the non-commercial category, the Institute of Accountancy Arusha (IAA) emerged first, followed by the Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority (TIRA) and the Sugar Board of Tanzania (SBT).

IAA Rector, Prof Eliamani Sedoyeka, says the recognition reflects deliberate efforts to strengthen internally generated revenue and channel it towards institutional development.

“We have increased our internally generated revenue and used it to invest in infrastructure, curricula and staff development. We have reduced our financial dependence on the Government and are preparing ourselves for full self-reliance,” he says.

Prof Sedoyeka, however, says there is room for further progress, particularly in increasing internally generated revenue from sources other than fees.

Greater financial independence is not simply about generating more income.

It is about building institutions capable of sustaining their mandates, investing in their own capacity and reducing unnecessary pressure on public finances. Financial performance, however, is only one part of institutional effectiveness.

The third category assessed commercial and non-commercial entities on good governance, control and transparency.

The assessment considered implementation of audit recommendations arising from the 2024/25 audit, audit opinions for the same financial year, publication of audited financial statements on institutional websites and board assessment scores.

The top three were the eGovernment Authority (e-GA), Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT) and the Capital Markets and Securities Authority (CMSA).

The inclusion of governance shifts attention from what public entities achieve to how they achieve it.

A strong financial result accompanied by weak accountability systems cannot provide the same institutional assurance as performance supported by sound governance, transparent reporting and effective oversight.

The implementation of audit recommendations is particularly important because such recommendations identify weaknesses requiring corrective action.

Likewise, publication of audited financial statements enables stakeholders to access information on institutional financial performance, while board assessments provide an indication of how effectively governance structures are performing their responsibilities.

The fourth category recognised institutions for improved service delivery, with the assessment considering service delivery digitisation, customer satisfaction and clientele growth during the 2024/25 financial year.

The Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) emerged first, followed by the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC) and Benjamin Mkapa Hospital (BMH).

For JKCI Executive Director Dr Peter Kisenge, the award recognises efforts to improve the experience of citizens accessing services at the institute.

The assessment, he says, went beyond internal activities to consider technology use, customer satisfaction and growth in the number of people using the services.

JKCI has introduced technological improvements aimed at making cardiac and related medical services more accessible.

These include a modern laboratory using robotic technology, which has reduced patients’ waiting time for laboratory results, and an online appointment system that allows patients to arrange appointments with doctors from home.

For Dr Kisenge, the recognition also creates an obligation to maintain the standards that have been acknowledged.

The experiences of the institutions recognised point to a common lesson: Operational efficiency has several dimensions, and strength in one area cannot compensate for weaknesses in another.

An institution may generate more revenue but still need to strengthen governance. Another may have sound governance systems but need to improve service delivery.

Yet another may provide better services while remaining heavily dependent on Government financing.

This is why the OTR awards matter beyond the institutions that occupied the top three positions.

The wider top-ten lists provide benchmarks for stronger performance, while entities outside the recognised group can use the same assessment to identify gaps and learn from those performing better.

For leading institutions, recognition creates an expectation that performance will be sustained and strengthened.

For other recognised entities, it provides a basis for building on their progress.

For those outside the recognised group, it offers an opportunity to identify weaknesses and improve their systems.

Ultimately, the value of the OTR awards will not be measured by the number of trophies handed out at the forum.

It will be measured by whether they encourage a wider culture of efficiency, accountability, financial sustainability, good governance and better service delivery across public entities.

The awards, therefore, should be viewed not as a conclusion about past performance, but as a challenge to public institutions to do better in the next financial year.