New TRA recruits to sustain revenue growth

DAR ES SALAAM: THE Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) has recruited 243 new employees to strengthen tax administration and sustain its record-breaking revenue collection as the government intensifies domestic resource mobilisation to finance the country’s Vision 2050 development agenda.

Opening a 10-day induction programme for the recruits in Dar es Salaam yesterday, TRA Deputy Commissioner Mr Hassan Mcha urged the new employees to uphold integrity, professionalism and dedication.

“You have joined TRA at a critical time when stronger domestic revenue mobilisation is central to Tanzania’s development. I urge you to work with integrity, professionalism and dedication so that the authority continues to surpass government revenue targets. Every shilling collected helps finance roads, schools, hospitals and other essential public services,” Mr Mcha said.

Mr Mcha said the recruits will strengthen the authority’s operational capacity and support implementation of TRA’s Corporate Strategic Plan, while contributing to Vision 2050 through enhanced domestic resource mobilisation.

He said the authority’s workforce had expanded with the latest recruitment, expressing gratitude to President Samia Suluhu Hassan for approving additional staffing to meet operational needs.

The deputy commissioner reminded the recruits that public trust depends on ethical conduct, urging them to comply with public service laws, regulations and professional standards throughout their careers.

TRA Director of Human Resources and Administration, Mr Jonathan Kabengwe, said the 243 employees were recruited from a database of successful candidates who participated in the authority’s recruitment exercise conducted between February and May last year to fill 1,596 positions.

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He said the recruits replaced employees who retired or left the authority, increasing TRA’s workforce to about 9,020 employees.

“None of these employees sat for a new recruitment examination. They were all successful candidates from last year’s exercise who remained in the database until vacancies became available,” he said.

Mr Kabengwe said the recruits had joined the authority at a time when TRA had exceeded government revenue collection targets for 24 consecutive months, calling on them to help sustain the strong performance.

Following the induction, the employees will undergo specialised training in taxation and customs administration before deployment to their duty stations.

Customs officers and customs assistants will receive eight weeks of specialised training, while tax management officers and customs officers will undertake a 12- week programme.

The induction programme covers TRA’s organisational structure, code of conduct, operational procedures, security requirements and public service regulations to prepare the recruits for their responsibilities.