Majaliwa hypes for inclusive social security schemes
PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has called on authorities and institutions responsible for overseeing insurance and social security schemes in Africa to provide adequate education to the public so that more people can join the services.
“Authorities and institutions involved in overseeing insurance and social security schemes should put more efforts in raising awareness about the services in Africa in the manner that the respective country deems appropriate,” he said.
The Premier made the remarks yesterday in Arusha at the opening of the International Conference for Heads of Insurance Authorities in Africa which is being attended by more than 200 participants from various countries from within the continent.
“Statistics show that people’s awareness on insurance services in Africa is still low, therefore we should use this conference to put more efforts and come up with strategies which will ensure that many people are being provided with the education,” Majaliwa said.
Explaining on African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, Majaliwa said the signing for its implementation was done on January 1, last year and its Secretariat is hosted in Accra, Ghana.
“AfCFTA agreement aims to bring economic reforms in Africa… this agreement has brought together 54 African countries and created a single market of approximately 1.4 billion people,” he said.
He added: “Experts project that if such cooperation will be sustainable by conducting free trade among ourselves; there is no doubt that the income for our continent will grow at an average of 6 per cent to reach 66.4tri/- in the next 50 years”.
The PM said the African continent is endowed with various resources, including land, agriculture, oil, forests, minerals, livestock and human resources of 1.4 billion people, which is equivalent to 18.2 per cent of all people globally.
“This is a huge opportunity which is supposed to be thoroughly debated and set up strategies in this conference … I would like to call upon the participants to deliberate and come up with strategies on how such opportunities in AfCFTA can be reached and utilised for the development of the continent and its people,” Majaliwa said.
Explaining on the importance of social security schemes, the PM said it is difficult to separate insurance and security schemes because they both aim at protecting the society against disasters which can occur at any time.
He called upon the experts to look at how the social security schemes and pension can be inclusive, especially by giving priority to women, youth, elders and farmers, especially those living in difficult environment.
“Here in Tanzania our President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been giving priority on empowerment issues, especially in uplifting women and youth economically as implementation of Ouagadougou 10 Declaration which aimed at eradicating poverty which was endorsed by African Heads of State in January 2015 as AU Agenda 2063,” Majaliwa said.
He said that it is high time for the social security schemes to collaborate with the government in eradicating poverty among the people.
“I call upon the participants to deliberate on how the funds can help in uplifting the economy of our people and support the efforts of eradicating poverty, especially on women, youth and farmers,” he said.
Earlier, Minister for Finance and Planning, Dr Mwigulu Nchemba said President Samia had already issued directives on insurance on April 22, 2021 when she inaugurated the 12th Parliament in Dodoma.
“The President directed that health and agriculture insurance must be given priority and set up appropriate legal systems which will identify better ways of its implementation,” Dr Nchemba said.
