COAST REGION: THE government has directed the Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) to intensify its enforcement of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 2003, so as to protect the nation’s workforce.
Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Youth, Employment & Persons with Disability), Ms Mary Maganga, issued this directive while officiating the opening of OSHA’s workers’ council meeting in Kibaha, Coast Region.
“I urge you to continue your crucial work in ensuring the effective implementation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 2003 and its regulations, which the government established to safeguard our human resources and investments,” Ms Maganga stated.
The meeting had a key agenda of discussing OSHA’s budget plan under the Prime Minister’s Office for the upcoming financial year 2025/26. OSHA’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms Khadija Mwenda, revealed that the government, through the President’s Office – Public Service Management and Good Governance, has granted OSHA approval to recruit 74 new employees to enhance the agency’s efficiency in fulfilling its core responsibility of protecting the nation’s workforce.
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Ms Mwenda disclosed this while welcoming the Permanent Secretary to open the Fourth Session of the Fifth OSHA Workers’ Council meeting.
“We sincerely thank you, our Permanent Secretary, for advocating our institution to receive the largest number of new staff in our history. The addition of 74 employees represents nearly 50 per cent of our current workforce. We appreciate you personally, along with our Minister and kindly request you to convey our gratitude to the Prime Minister and President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan for recognising the importance of this institution and continuously strengthening it,” said Ms Mwenda.
On his part, Deputy Secretary-General of the Government and Health Workers’ Trade Union (TUGHE), Mr Rugemalila Rutatina, who attended the meeting, commended OSHA for being a role model in fostering employee unity and involving them in key institutional decisions through workers’ council meetings in accordance with national laws.
