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Don’t shun the media, PM tells govt officials
2006-02-18 09:11:37
By Juma Thomas, Dodoma
In a clear manifestation that the government is determined to work closely with the media, Prime Minister Edward Lowassa yesterday lashed out at public officials who shun the press.
’Some government officials are hostile to the media. They should change their attitudes and work together for the sake of the development of our people,’ he said.
Lowassa, who was delivering a speech to adjourn the Bunge session, said an independent media, responsible to the people, was a crucial institution especially at this time.
He said wananchi wanted to be informed, educated and to know what was taking place in the country and the world over.
’They will know all these through the media, and it is upon us in the government and its institutions to change the way we view the media,’ he said.
He said the idea to establish information and education departments in every ministry should be reflected by the way public officials value the profession.
Lowassa challenged public servants and members of parliament to know that they had been entrusted by wananchi who would like to know what they were doing.
He also called on the media to be responsible to the people. ’I beg to commend the media for a noble job it is doing to inform and educate wananchi especially during Bunge sessions,’ he said.
On education, Lowassa said he had directed regions with insufficient secondary schools to use development grants, local government development fund and general purpose grants to build schools to accommodate students who passed last year’s primary education examination but left out because of lack of space in public schools.
He said the government would employ retired teachers and form six leavers in a bid to overcome the problem of shortage of teachers in many schools.
He said the government would train more people in the level of degree and diploma in order to have enough teachers.
In addition, the PM said the government would also buy more teaching aids, build more classrooms and teachers houses as well as giving incentives to teachers working in remote areas. The parliament was adjourned until March 28, this year.
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