THE government will pump 150.87bn/- into annual salary increments for civil servants for fiscal 2024/2025 starting in two months.

Vice President Dr Philip Mpango made this remark here yesterday, officiating at the International Labour Day celebrated nationally at the Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium, noting that the central government released 153.9bn/- to service annual wage increments in the current financial year.

Annual salary increments come as the result of improved economic conditions in the country, he said, asserting that performance reviews by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) indicate that the Tanzanian economy had remained resilient to global shocks.

If positive outcomes are maintained, chances of reviewing the public sector minimum wage rises, he said, affirming that President Samia Suluhu Hassan was expecting good news in the not so far future. Arusha hosted the annual event for the first time since 2002, with the VP standing in for the Head of State.

Earlier, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told the participants that employers, employees and the government should always speak the same language, guided by mutual understanding and cooperation. PMO seeks to ensure that it supports all efforts to ensure that this is the case, he declared.

Tumaini Nyamhokya, the Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA) president, urged the government to improve salary levels as the best motivation at the work place. 

In a joint trade unions statement, the umbrella organisation appealed for speedy implementation of International Labour Organizations (ILO) agreements for the betterment of workers’ welfare, which the VP said the government was scrutinising for harmonisation with the country’s laws, customs and culture.

TUCTA also demanded improved health insurance cover at work places, as well as an overall review of contractual work for specific periods, which the VP said they all need to be scrutinised to be harmonised with specific legislation on welfare and job security.

He particularly emphasised that maternity leave should not include days where an infant is placed in special care if such infant was born before time, an instruction applauded by the gathering.