TANZANIA: SOME Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC) executives are at risk of losing their jobs following violation of laws and ethics by turning into “demigods’ while executing their duties.
Minister for Transport, Prof Makame Mbarawa Directed the Permanent Secretary, President’s Office, Public Service Management and Good Governance to sack any executive who deliberately dismiss other workers or transfers them without valid reason in the corporation.
“There are several indicators of problems at TASAC because I am receiving various complaints and I took it lightly, but later I decided to listen to their complaints and I realised there is abuse of power,” Prof Mbarawa said in a meeting with TASAC employees.
“I want to make it clear that we do not want to oppress anyone or have demigods, we operate by observing the laws and regulations, no one is above the law…we are all government employees thus we must follow government rules and regulations,” the minister said.
Prof Mbarawa said the government wants people who will unite the workers for the interest of the nation so it is better they leave so as to make the institution safe.
“We cannot continue with these people who transfer employees every day …who are they? I expect that the person who writes to transfer the employees should write the hints to send them to various courses to upgrade their skills,” he said.
Meanwhile, Prof Mbarawa directed management and the Board to act on employee’s grievances within six months while they should arrange regular meetings with employees.
He also asked them to work on the Lake Victoria project to ensure it is completed on time, including coming up with other projects.
“At TASAC right now things are not going well, the revenue is going down, of course, it is going down, since the big section of clearance revenue has been moved, but not to that extent. Still there is a Lake Victoria project that is not moving and should look for other projects,” he said.
He added: “We want to bring development to the country, we want the Lake Victoria project to be completed and the president has injected a lot of money, we want the digital system to be completed and this is not happening because the servants forget their basic responsibility,”.
Prof Mabarawa said they want to ensure discipline in the institution and avoid what had happened to KADCO employees who were happy to be transferred to Tanzania Airport Authority (TAA).
” I will be very tough on this. I cannot have an institution which is undisciplined,” he said.
He told the management that they should have the responsibility to upgrade the skills of employees and when a manager travels abroad, subordinates should accompany them so that they can learn what their colleagues are doing.
“A good leader is one who respects subordinates and not to be selfish, he guides them so that they can reach a higher level, that is what leadership means,” said Prof Mbarawa.
The TASAC Director General, Mr Mohamed Salum said lack of experts, especially Marine inspectors has delayed the completion of the Lake Victoria project.
He said TASAC has 241 employees but they do not have professional Marine Surveyors.
