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A million jobs coming as promised - Kapuya
2008-07-19 09:27:41
By Guardian Reporter, Dodoma
The government said yesterday it has gone almost half way in fulfilling President Jakaya Kikwete`s promise to create a million jobs and should be through with the task by 2010 as planned.
According to Labour, Employment and Youth Development minister Juma Kapuya, 43.7 per cent of the target has been achieved.
He made the remarks when unveiling the budget estimates for his ministry for financial year 2008/09 in the National Assembly here yesterday.
“Information obtained in June 2008 says a total of 437,205 new jobs had been created in various sectors from January 2006 to December 2007, which is equivalent to 43.7 per cent of the one million jobs goal expected to be attained by 2010,” he said.
Prof Kapuya clarified that the assessment excluded jobs created in agriculture a sector that employs some 70 per cent of the country’s populace, adding that the private sector created the biggest number of job opportunities.
An index attached to the ministry’s budget speech and made available to House members and the media yesterday shows that 58,399 jobs were created in the public sector, 183,789 in the private sector and 195,017 in the informal sector.
However, House Community Development Committee chairperson Jenista Mhagama said the government was moving too slowly in implementing the initiative on creating the one million jobs.
She challenged the ministry to elaborate on the challenges it saw lying ahead of it, noting: ``Given the fact that the private sector has vast potential to create even more jobs in the future, our committee strongly advises the government to exploit this avenue more fully.``
She called on the rest of the government to join hands with the ministry in pushing the course further for the good of the nation.
Presenting views of the opposition on the estimates, Labour,
Employment and Youth Development shadow minister Salim Abdallah Khalfan underlined the importance of improving labour relations at workplaces.
``True democracy in countries the world over starts with workers having vibrant trade unions that operate freely and that can demand their members` basic rights,`` he said.
Prof Kapuya asked the House to endorse for his ministry 6.5bn/- for recurrent expenditure and 6.2bn/- for the implementation of development activities during the year.
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