Tanzania, Kahama:
Finally, Barrick Bulyanhulu Gold Mine in Kahama district, Shinyanga region has signed a bargain agreement with its employees after long drawn negotiations.
The outcome will see hundreds of workers getting terminal benefits like other employees in the formal sector as well as funds to educate their children.
“The agreement will see significant improvement of the remunerations of the workers,” said Partenus Rwechungura, the Secretary General of Tanzania, Mines, Energy, Construction and Allied Workers’ Union (Tamico).
He said the bargain agreement has been signed after long discussions between the management of one of the largest gold mines in the country and Tamico on behalf of hundreds of employees.
“Barrick employees (at Bulyanhulu) will now be entitled to terminal benefits and incentive funds for the education of their children,” he said.
The trade union leader added: “As a trade union, we are pleased to see the management of the mine realising the importance of this agreement.”
Improved remunerations will boost the morale of workers and improve work relations at the mine located in Msalala Council in Kahama district.
Bulyanhulu Gold Mine General Manager, Cheick Sangare said now that their demands have been met with the signing of the agreement, the workers must now fulfil their responsibilities.
“We expect to see you double your efforts and creativity so that both the mine and the workers mutually benefit from the deal,” he pointed out.
Mr Sangare said the signing of the agreement by the mine management was enough indication that Bulyanhulu Gold Mine was operating within the confines of the law.
“It is also a sign that the management of the mine will implement terms of the agreement for mutual benefit of the parties involved,” he explained.
Kahama District Commissioner, Festo Kiswaga said improved workers’ remunerations would not only boost productivity but also increase tax collections.
He challenged the workers to work hard so that the mine can generate more gold from its pits and hence increase gold sales in the international markets.
Signing of the agreement was also witnessed by Assistant Labour Commissioner, Andrew Mwalwisi from the Prime Minister’s Office; Labour, Youth, Employment and the Disabled docket.
He took the opportunity to urge all employers in the country to pay the new wage rates, including the minimum wage as recently announced by the government.
He decried a tendency of some employers, both in private and public companies in the country, to ignore the legal requirement to pay the levels directed by the Government.
On his part, the chairman of the Bulyanhulu Mine Tamico branch, Maghembe Malimi, lauded the move by the two sides -mine management and workers – in signing of the bargain agreement.
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Tanzania: Samia Hands Over NBC’s 354m/ – Crop Insurance Compensation to Farmers Affected By Hailstorms
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has handed over a cheque of 354m/- from the National Bank of Commerce (NBC) as compensation to tobacco farmers, who were affected by hailstorms during the previous farming season in various regions across the country.
Handing over the cheque in Dodoma, the compensation is part of the crop insurance service provided by NBC in collaboration with the National Insurance Corporation (NIC).
Furthermore, President Samia has also handed over health insurance coverage to members of the Lindi Mwambao Cooperative Union based in Lindi Region, through the Farmers’ Health Insurance service provided by the bank in partnership with Assurance Insurance Company.
While visiting the bank’s pavilion at the Nanenane Agricultural Exhibition and being received and briefed by the bank’s Managing Director, Mr. Theobald Sabi, she said: “This crop insurance is one of the crucial solutions in ensuring farmers have a reliable income, without fear of challenges such as natural disasters, including hailstorms.
“I call upon all farmers in the country to make the best use of this important opportunity by accessing these kinds of insurance services. I also highly commend NBC and all the stakeholders participating in this programme.”
Elaborating further on the crop insurance service, the Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Bashe, stated that it will help to recover the loss farmers incurred, especially in various calamities beyond their control.
Citing them as floods, fires, and hailstorms, which have significantly affected the well-being of farmers and caused some to be reluctant to invest in the crucial sector, Mr Bashe added: “However, our President, this step by NBC is just the beginning, as this is the second year since they started offering this service, and the results are already visible.
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“As the government, we promise to continue supporting the wider implementation of this service, with the goal of ensuring that this crop insurance service reaches more farmers.”
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On his part, Mr Sabi said that the farmers who benefited from the compensations are from 23 primary cooperative unions in the regions of Shinyanga, Geita, Tabora, Mbeya, Katavi, and Kigoma.
He added: “In addition to these insurance services, as a bank, through this exhibition, we have continued with our programme of providing financial education and various banking opportunities to farmers, alongside offering them various loans, including loans for agricultural equipment, particularly tractors, to eligible farmers.:
At the NBC booth, President Samia also had the opportunity to be briefed on the various services offered by the bank to the farmers namely crop insurance and health insurance services.
There, the President had the chance to speak with some of the beneficiaries of the services, including the Vice-Chairman of the Lindi Mwambao Primary Cooperative Union, Mr. Hassan Mnumbe, whose union has been provided with a health insurance card from the bank.
Source: allafrica.com
