Minister of Labour and Employment, Gaudentia Kabaka

Minister of Labour and Employment, Gaudentia Kabaka  has emphasised the significance of employee involvement in the effective implementation of the Government policy objectives.

The minister said openness and encouraging participation of employees in the decision-making process will facilitate a sense of ownership and inclusiveness that is crucial for the effective execution of the Ministry’s programmes and initiatives.

Speaking at the launching of the ministerial labour council in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the minister emphasised an ‘across the table’ approach to decision making.

She asserted that her responsibility as charged by the duties of her office involves ensuring that employees’ rights are observed to the letter, and part of that is their right to participate in the making of decisions that eventually affect their lives.

On a kindred subject, the minister touched on the exponential rise in youth unemployment, assuring participants and the youth at large that the ministry has a comprehensive and sustainable long term plan to secure employment for the youth.

As part of this plan, the ministry has established a Youth Loan Fund to be invested in agriculture and agriculture-related value addition chains. The fund is to be developed and monitored by the Tanzania Youth Development Bank, she stated.

The fund will serve to provide low interest loans and soft repayment conditions so as to ease access to the loans. In turn it is expected that the youth will employ the loans in revenue generating ventures and hence self employ, ridding them of unemployment and dependency.

“The provision of employment services is our primary responsibility,” she told the audience. To delegate this colossal responsibility, the ministry would check the lack of reliable timely information on vacancies and the almost non-existent employment service industry that would connect graduates to vacancies, as this undermines all other efforts.

It is part of the primary responsibility of the ministry to collect, analyze and offer information on applicable labour market trends in the country, she pointed out.