Settle media dues, Nape tells institutions

DODOMA: THE government is devising a strategy to ensure all its ministries and institutions that owe media houses in the country settle their dues with immediate effect.

The Minister for Information, Communication and Information Technology, Nape Nnauye, said this during the 13th Tanzania Editors’ Forum (TEF) retreat in Dodoma on Monday.

Minister Nape said the media houses are currently experiencing economic difficulties as a result of unpaid debts amounting to 18bn/- by various ministries, government institutions, organs and councils.

He said out of that debt, the Tanzania Standard (Newspapers) Limited (TSN) has a lion’s share of 11bn/- yet to be paid by various government institutions.

The minister insisted the media need money to operate effectively and pledged to ensure that the debts are settled even by deducting money from the budgets of the institutions that are yet to pay their debts. He revealed that the 18bn/- debt was established after a nine-member committee was formed by the minister in January 2023 to assess the economic status of the media houses and journalists’ welfare.

“Media houses have personnel to send to the field to collect news. They need payments for publications of your projects. How do they operate when you delay and accumulate debts? How do you expect them to pay their staff?” In response, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Dr Doto Biteko, who was the guest of honour, instructed Minister Nape to submit to him in writing details of the institutions that owe the media houses for prompt action.

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In a related development, Mr Nape touted enhanced media freedom in the country, especially after several amendments were made to the media act.

However, he urged journalists to use the freedom well by promoting peace and writing ethically and professionally in informing the public.

“Go write, but make sure what you write is right for the people, time, and place. Patriotism should prevail right from the grassroots,” he added.

On the establishment of the Accreditation Board, Independent Media Council and Media Fund, the minister said the process is at the advanced stage, saying the move aimed at lifting up the economies of the country’s media houses. He added that envisaged reforms in the media industry will improve the working environment of the media houses and raise the welfare of journalists.

The minister said that the government has improved working relations with the media, increased openness and transparency, especially by timely providing information to the public through the media.

He hailed the Office of the Treasury Registrar (OTR) for initiating forums for public institutions to meet and share their information with media editors, saying the forums are crucial in educating the public about their activities.

“These institutions ought to know that providing information to the public is within the law because enlightened people will also support projects initiated in their midst,” he pointed out.

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Speaking during the event, Tanzania Editor Forum (TEF) Chairman Mr Deodatus Balile said despite securing abundant natural gas, the country is yet to fully exploit the resource which could have addressed challenges in the energy sector, especially the rising demand for compressed natural gas (CNG).

He said the government has invested billions of shillings in improving the sector, especially in sourcing electricity in the country as well as mobilising clean cooking energy, urging the media to inform the public on the developments.