Cooperate with TSN, govt information officers told

ZANZIBAR CCM Ideology and Publicity Secretary, Khamis Mbeto Khamis has called on government information officers to cooperate with state owned media organisations to inform Tanzanians on the success in implementation of various development projects.

Mr Khamis made a call on Monday, during his working visit to the state-owned printing media company, the Tanzania Standard (Newspapers) Limited  (TSN), publishers of the ‘Daily News’, ‘Sunday News’, HabariLeo and HabariLeo Jumapili as well as the Online edition.

According to him, some of the government information officers do not provide information about the government’s efforts in implementing development projects for the people, something he said must change.

In particular, he encouraged TSN to continue publishing information on the success attained by both the government of Zanzibar and that of the Union in execution of development projects.

Speaking earlier, TSN Business Development Director, Mr Lamau Mpolo said the company has procured a state-of-the-art printing press with fund provided by the government.

He said the plant, soon be installed, would expand the company’s capacity to print more and quality newspapers and other documents.

Mr Mpolo added that TSN has been printing various documents from the government ministries and institutions and called on the visiting CCM officer and other government institutions to bring documents for printing.

On his side, Manager of Foreign Language and Media Services Mr Christopher Majaliwa said that TSN has been publishing articles on the implementation of the activities done by both Union and Zanzibar governments.

“We have dedicated special pages for Zanzibar News mostly focusing on development issues. We also extensively cover the Zanzibar House of Representatives sessions,” he said.

Recently, President Samia Suluhu Hassan questioned the utilisation of  government’s information officers in disseminating government activities to the public.

Dr Samia wondered how ministers were optimally utilising heads of government communication units for their good.

Opening a three-day consultative seminar for Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, their deputies and other government officials in Arusha, Dr Samia said that performance of the information officers left much to be desired as far as their profession is concerned.

“I’m aware that every ministry has a communication unit, but some are just idling and doing nothing,” she said.

The Head of State equally rebuked ministers who hire personal information officers for their personal interests and not for the purpose of disseminating government activities.

Dr Samia also challenged senior government officials to come up with effective communication strategies to avoid unnecessary clashes with their subordinates once they step on each other’s toes.

She further told off her appointees for failing to speak well of the government.

Such a failure has attracted criticism and fair share of false information on what the government is doing.

“You’ve not really stepped up to the plate, which is why, we have been treated to distorted information from the naysayers,” she stated.