Editorial
Analysis
Enterprise lacking in students
Labour unemployment is still a nuisance for most ambitious young men in the
country who, despite their courage and aspirations in life, often end up no
where after completing their studies, mostly at tertiary level.
The situation, according to researchers, is further aggravated by the fact that
most young graduates fail to cope with prevailing market situation. Lack of
entrepreneurship skills, which could enable them set up their own enterprises
whenever they do not find jobs, is still a major drawback for most graduates
from domestic universities.
The graduates, even during their courses at the universities, sit back thinking
the jobs are always there for them, and when they do not find one, it becomes a
big problem. The thought of most students in higher learning institutions is to
secure job opportunities in the civil service.
The predicament has consequently been causing enormous loss to the country’s
human resources potential. It is useless to train people for many years and at a
high cost, only to find they cannot secure employment.
The University of Dar es Salaam has realised the problem that most of its
graduates encounter soon after completing various causes. Through its faculty of
commerce, the UDSM has in recent years started an entrepreneurship centre.
The centre is serving all faculties where students are offered entrepreneurship
skills. This is, indeed, good news for the UDSM.
The centre’s Director, Dr. Donatus Olomi feels the labour market itself is very
volatile. Having a university degree is no longer an issue, the graduate has to
demonstrate to his would be employer what he can do for the company.
We commend the university for establishing such as a department as it will
revolutionalise teaching and give the students a broader view of the job market.
Labour disputes: Diplomacy needed
The recent report that over 100 workers of DTP Terrassement, a contracted mining
firm at Geita Gold Mine, were sacked is no good news. At a time when poverty is
looming, it is rather painful to see such action.
The workers were alleged to have been involved in an illegal strike and among
their demands was a salary increase to Tsh. 400,000 as minimum and to have
TAMICO recognised as sole representative of the workers.
The firm had directed its workers to collect their suspension forms at a short
notice, and failure to do that was to result into sacking. Indeed, those who
failed to do so (even if they had good reasons) were regarded as having
absconded from duty.
There is something fishy here. The workers were demanding their right to a
better salary. What beats us is why the management did not disclose what steps
were being taken to meet their demands.
Instead, the management ordered the striking workers to collect their suspension
forms or face summary dismissal. This is very undemocratic as it is clear that
even the trade union branch was not involved.
Foreign investors are looking for profits. We feel that workers’ welfare does
not have a place in their scheme of things. Once a trade union (which can
coordinate the resolution of disputes) is mentioned they always become uneasy.
They do not want workers to unite lest they demand their rights. Also these
people (investors) are very knowledgeable about trade unions and where they hail
from the trade unions are very strong. Then how come they do not respect trade
unions in this country?
The government in collaboration with trade unions must probe the issue. Workers
are the main capital for any investment, then why are they being undermined?
The government should stop eyeing the taxes paid by these firms often at the
cost of humiliating the workers. As for disputes, they should be settled
diplomatically and not dictatorially the way it happened at Geita.
Analysis
Women need more power to
tackle poverty
By Timothy Kitundu
A few weeks ago, stakeholders in the forestry sector met at the Second Worldwide
Symposium on Gender and Forestry. The symposium was organised and sponsored
jointly by the Environmental, Human Rights Care and Gender Organisation
(ENVIROCARE).
The other organisers included the International Union of Forest Research
Organisations (IUFRO), the United Nations Forum on Forests, Centre for
International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Forestry and Beekeeping Division
National Forestry Programme and NORAD.
The symposium held at the College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka,
Kilimanjaro Region, discussed exhaustively among other things the sustainable
utilisation of forest products — timber or non-timber.
The issue that stood out was the role of women in the harvesting and collecting
timber and non-timber forest products and their utilisation in the generation of
household incomes. But again women are not able to fully exploit these resources
due to a number of factors.
Women are not involved in most forums of decision-making, hence their
contribution though immense is not recognised. According to a study conducted by
Dr. Peter Oduol of World Agroforestry Centre in Tabora, women have extensive
knowledge of forest resources and are the primary users and effective protectors
of the forests.
Apart from using leaves, bark, roots and herbs for medicine, they also select
specific forest foods that include fruits, nuts, mushrooms, insects that are
source of income and nutrition for the family. Food supplements from the forest
provide certain proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals that are not found in most
staple crops.
An impact assessment survey conducted recently in some villages of Kigwa, Mbola
and Tumbi in Tabora region indicate that women are earning between US$ 10–20
(about Tsh.10,000 to 20,000) from selling juice; US$ 8–32 (about Tsh. 8,000 to
32,000) from selling jam and US$ 29–40 (about Tsh. 29,000 to 40,000) from
selling wine. All these products derive their raw material from wild fruits.
Their average income per week ranges from US$ 50–80 (about Tsh. 50,000 to
80,000). There is now growing demand by local people and visitors to Tabora, who
want to taste and buy some of the jams, juices and wines made by women’s groups.
Another study undertaken in Meatu, Shinyanga region, by Monica Kagya of
Beekeeping and Forestry Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism
indicates that women are the main collectors of Non-Wood Forest Products
(NWFPs), which contributes about 21 per cent to the household income and
involves 73 per cent of the households.
In terms of wild vegetables, women are the main collectors collecting about 95
per cent products, fruits 40 per cent and fibre 41 per cent, while men collect
or hunt wild animals 90 per cent, honey 95 per cent, grass and fodder 97 per
cent, and medicine 54 per cent.
Again women are the main processors and preservers of wild vegetables, wild
fruits, weaving fibres, medicine, wild meat and honey as indicated by responses
of 100 per cent, 87 per cent, 74 per cent, 58 per cent and 65 per cent
respondents, respectively.
The main benefits women get by collecting and marketing NWFPs are improved
nutrition and health (75 per cent), income (50 per cent), reduced household
expenditure (34 per cent), reduced workload (25 per cent) and easy accessibility
of the products (15 per cent).
Despite the immense contribution and the significant role played by women in
the exploitation of NWFPs to the household economy, women are not given the
support they deserve. Women lack market information, suffer due to unstable
prices, high market fees and risk of snakebites during the collection of NWFPs.
In order to support women and empower them in the sustainable but full
exploitation of NWFPs, they should be involved in decision-making by appointing
them in higher positions in forestry and sustainable development. Also, there is
a need to develop gender-sensitive tools to sustain the participation of rural
women in forest management and biodiversity conservation.
The government should support introduction of small-scale NWFPs-based
enterprises focused on improving women welfare, develop appropriate technologies
that are gender sensitive for processing and storage of NWFPs.
Equally important is the promotion of natural regeneration, domestication,
agroforestry and genes conservation strategies to improve sustainable supply of
NWFPs and promote sustainable management and utilisation of forest or woodlands
resources in the vicinity of local communities.
Clean and beautiful Dar a
distant dream
By Muhammad A. Shaban
EVEN though Dar es Salaam enjoys bright tourism seasons that see many hotel
rooms getting occupied by tourists, it should get down to the basics –
addressing the issue of cleanliness and general hygiene, an issue that can deal
a blow to the tourism industry if not handled urgently.
Huge sums are spent to boost tourism. However, all will be worthless, if the
deteriorating level of hygiene and mounds of garbage in different areas of the
city are not tackled fast. Money spent for publicity will be useless if a
tourist comes to Dar and finds the dirt and filth; he/she would surely take the
next flight back home.
Come rain, come sun, the pathetic condition of uncollected rubbish, brimming
unrepaired sewage, and puddles of stagnant dirty water decline the cherished
hope of Dar es Salaamites for a clean City.
It is generally known that death and diseases breed in the filth. It is
therefore not surprising that the City is known for the army of mosquitoes that
swarm the City from dusk. Waste disposal bins (there are very few) are not kept
in all streets.
“We do not have recycling centres or enough waste disposal bins, that’s the
obstacle,” says a graphics designer in the City centre.
Apart from the distant dream of a clean Dar es Salaam, a beautiful Dar is also a
far-fetched dream. The architectural design of Dar roads and streets, buildings,
roundabouts lack the attractive magnetism and charm of a modern city.
There are various ways in which we can judge how modern and civilised a city is,
and one of these is by asking ourselves the question, how good are its roads.
The condition of Dar roads and drainage system is awkward. The roads are not
properly built and are too congested; there are no streetlights, street marks
and signs on many roads. In addition, the greenery, which adds to the beauty of
a city, is not maintained, as it ought to be as some Dar residents told The
Express.
“It is good that they have planted trees. However, couldn’t they get beautiful
trees like palm or date or fruit trees; couldn’t they plant the right type of
trees at the right location?” complains a resident by the name of Aziz.
Another Dar resident Tawakali told The Express that the green grass planted in
many places is not maintained properly. “The green grass is not trimmed for
months - it looks like a jungle. Can’t they employ some people to maintain and
put flowers, greenery and ensure cleanliness on all streets?”
He adds, “Our roundabouts are also too simple and in a pathetic state. Many lack
bright flowers, green grass and there are no landmarks.” He suggested
roundabouts should have well-manicured grass, landmarks and coloured water
fountains.
Tawakali supports his suggestion by saying, “We ignore roundabouts but just
imagine how many times have you seen the Askari Monument in TV, newspapers and
magazines? Perhaps it would not be much attractive if there was no roundabout.”
This reporter witnessed one roundabout in the City centre that has a big
lamppost in the centre instead of a landmark or fountain.
Even our buildings, which include hotels, residential premises, airport and
other man-made structures are architecturally unimpressive, many of them have
not even been painted for years.
“Look at other countries. They are well known for their beautiful buildings,
take for example the Sears tower in Chicago, the Petronas Twin Towers in
Malaysia, the Empire State building in USA, don’t we have architects in our
country who can build such beautiful buildings and landmarks,” says a driver, by
the name of Martin.
For these possible dreams to turn into reality a change should come from the
people. People entrusted with garbage collection and health inspectors should be
more serious. In addition, everyone should ensure there’s environmental
cleanliness, as it is everyone’s business.
“There should be numerous and well publicised recycling centres for different
material like paper, plastics, metals in different places, campaigns of cleaning
up litter by environmental bodies should be organised regularly with
participation from schools, private establishments, and the general public and
there should be many litter bins in every street,” says an environmental
activist.
Some people suggested that pavements should be made of stone or tiles and all
streets should have properly manicured grass and bright coloured flowers to make
the City look vibrant. At least some buildings should be of exclusive designs.
Slums should be rehabilitated.
Only time will tell if this dream will come true.
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