President Samia queries utilisation of govt information offers

PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan on Thursday questioned the utilisation of 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 on Thursday, Dr Samia argued that performance of the information officers left out 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.

“I hope this seminar will greatly address such a setback which has brought the profession into disrepute,” the president explained.

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.

Dr Samia reminded her appointees on the need of being enablers and not disablers in strengthening the partnership between the public and the private sector for the good of the country.

According to the Head of State, a prosperous economy was a result of the two working together in a common cause.

She challenged senior government officials to be cautious of what they utter in public gatherings, warning that some may work to the country’s disadvantage.

“We are living in a digital word where some utterances made with or without our knowledge can spread fast like bushfire,” said President Samia.

Dr Samia encouraged her appointees to speak well of the country in a bid to win over the trust of investors other than scaring them away.

The president, who also disclosed her intention of participating in the consultative seminar, urged the civil servants to speak their minds while making contributions during the three days.

“No one will be victimized or reprimanded for what they say as we are all here to shape good leaders,” she added.