PARLIAMENTARY Committee on public accounts (PAC) has urged the Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) to strengthen public awareness on safety and health matters at workplaces.
The committee made the call at the seminar on safety and health at workplaces to its members over the weekend in Dodoma.
Its chairperson, Mr Naghenjwa Kaboyoka, stated: “Members of the committee have been pleased with the seminar through which they have earned knowledge on several issues.
“OSHA is doing a good job but we advise them to increase public education to make more employers know their responsibility as far as safety and health at workplaces is concerned.”
The training was meant to build capacity among the lawmakers, which was part of the authority’s strategy to reach out to various groups in the society.
Apart from the training, the committee was also scheduled to inspect progress of the construction of new office building for OSHA in the capital city.
Earlier, the management of the OSHA made presentations on how it constructed a four-storey building, a project which costs 4.8bn/-.
Some of the committee members commended the authority for effectively supervising the project and observing value for money.
“We have acquired good knowledge since some of us partially knew what the authority was doing. I personally saw the value for money in the construction project. The building has also considered needs of people with disabilities,” Mr Emmanuel Shangai, member of the committee, said.
On his part, authority’s board chairman Dr Adelhelm Meru, promised to implement directives issued by the committee, particularly on discipline on use of public funds.
“This training intends to build capacity among the legislators whom we believe they would educate their voters over issues of safety and health at workplaces,” Dr Meru argued.
OSHA Chief Executive Officer Khadija Mwenda noted that the management was pleased to have opportunity of engaging the lawmakers in discussing matters of safety and health at workplaces.
“We hope that when they get to understand about these issues they would properly advise the government,” Ms Mwenda stated.
