Tanzania: Jobless Youth ‘Threat to National Security’

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

30 June 2011

Dodoma — Increasing unemployment among the youth is among major national security threats, the deputy minister for Youth, Labour and Employment, Dr Makongoro Mahanga, told Parliament yesterday.He said that was why the government was struggling to ensure that the rate of unemployment was brought down through creating many chances of employment for the country’s youth.

Dr Mahanga said in doing so the government has been collaborating with the private sector, civil society organisations and development partners. He said the government has also been encouraging people to find self-employment chances.

But the deputy minister said the government was against employers who have been recruiting people without giving them formal contracts as this makes it difficult for them to demand their rights.

Said he: “Whenever someone employs another person, even as a housegirl, there should be a formal contract between the two which details terms and conditions of the employment.” He made these remarks when answering a question from Ms Catherine Magige (Special Seats-CCM) who wanted to know preparations made by the government to ensure that it avails employment opportunities to the youth.

The MP also asked if the government was aware that unemployment was one of the challenges currently facing the nation.Mr Mahanga said that in dealing with the problem, the government would in the 2011/12 financial year start a process of creating employment for the youth.

He said even the five years development plan adopted by the government also identified creation of employment as a critical area for concentration.

However, he noted that there were many areas in which the youth could be engaged in like agriculture and the informal sector. He said the government has established an employment secretariat under the President’s Office, Public Service Management charged with the responsibility of coordinating employment in the public sector.

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