Pinda ahamasisha wafanyabiashara kutumia barcode ya Tanzania

Na Mwandishi wetu, Dar es Salaam

Waziri Mkuu Mizengo Pinda ametoa wito kwa wafanyabiashara  watanzania kuanza kutumia alama ya kiambishi anuani (Barcodes) ya hapa nchini kwa faida yao na ustawi wa taifa kwa ujumla.

Waziri Mkuu alitoa wito huo jana jijini Dar es Salaam wakati akizindua Mpango mkakati wa miaka mitano 2013/2017 wa GSI (TZ) National Ltd.

 GSI (TZ) National Ltd ndio inayohusika na mfumo wa kimataifa wa utambuzi na bidhaa kwa kutumia nembo za mstari (Barcodes).

“Nchi yetu imeingia katika mfumo huu ambao utasaidia kuimarisha ushindani wetu katika soko la ndani na nje,” alisema.

Tanzania ilifanikiwa kuingia katika mfumo huo baada ya kutimiza mashari ya kuwa mawanachama wa Global Standard One (GS1) yenye makao makuu yake nchini Ubelgiji.

Alama ya kiambishi anuani au barcode husaidia kutambulisha bidhaa husika katika soko na kwa muda mrefu Tanzania imekuwa ikitumia alama za nchi nyingine katika bidhaa zake.

Hata hivyo, kuanzia mwezi Agosti 2011, Tanzania kupitia GS1 (TZ) National Ltd ilifanikiwa kuanza kutoka alama hiyo, hatua inayotegemewa kuongeza kuaminika kwa bidhaa za hapa nchini kitaifa na kimataifa na hivyo kuchochea kukua kwa uchumi wa wafanyabiashara pamoja na nchi. 

Namba ya utambulisho ya alama ya kiambishi anuani ya Tanzania ni 620.

Waziri Mkuu Pinda alisema ni muhimu kwa wafanyabiashara wote sasa kuingia katika mfumo huo kwani utawawezesha kuingia kwa ufanisi zaidi na kushindana katika masoko ya kimataifa.

“Natoa wito kwa wafanyabiashara ambao bado hawajaingia na wale wanaoendelea kutumia nembo za barcodes za mataifa mengine kuacha kufanya hivyo kwa vile taifa lina nembo yake,”alisema.

Aliitaka GSI (TZ) National Ltd kutumia mpango mkakati wake wa miaka mitano kujitangaza kwa nguvu zote ili wajasiriamali na wafanyabiashara wote waweze kuingia katika mfumo huo wa kimataifa kwa vile una faida kubwa kwao.

“Ni jambo la kujivunia kuwa wazalishaji 370 wameingia katika mfumo wa kuwa na barcodes na jumla ya bidhaa 6,000 zilizopo sokoni nazo zina alama hii hadi sasa,”alisema Bw. Pinda.

Alifafanua kwamba serikali ya awamu ya nne ilifanya juhudi kubwa kupata alama hiyo ya utambulisho ili kama moja ya juhudi za kuimarisha sekta binafsi na wajasiriamali hapa nchini.

Kwa upande wake, Mwenyekiti wa Taasisi ya Sekta Binafsi Tanzania (TPSF), Bi. Esther Mkwizu alisema Tanzania imefanikiwa kufika hapo kutokana na juhudi za pamoja kati ya serikali na sekta binafsi na sasa bidhaa za Tanzania zina utambulisho.

“Ili kuleta mafanikio zaidi ya mfumo huu, serikali inahitajika kuweka sera bora ya kuuendeleza na isaidie wafabiashara wote kujiunga na mfumo huo ili kuchochea uzalishaji katika sekta za viwanda na kilimo,” alisema.

Alisisitiza kuwa wale walio na alama hiyo tayari wanahitajika kuwa mabalozi wazuri katika matumizi yake ili kuhamasisha wale ambao hawajaingia katika mfumo huo

Makamu Mwenyekiti wa GSI (TZ) National Ltd, Bw. Yakub Hasham alisema Tanzania imefanya mapinduzi makubwa ya kuwa na alama yake ambayo itasaidia kuzitambulisha bidhaa zahapa nchini katika masoko mbalimbali.

Mwisho

Serikali mbioni kumiliki hisa asilimia 100 za TTCL

Na Mwandishi Wetu, Dodoma

Serikali imeanza mchakato wa kumiliki Kampuni ya Mawasiliano Tanzania (TTCL) kwa asilimia 100  ikiwa ni njia mojawapo ya kufanya mageuzi ya kibiashara na kuliendesha shirika hilo kisayansi zaidi ya ilivyo sasa.

Naibu Waziri wa Mawasiliano, Sayansi na Teknolojia Mh. Januari Makamba aliyasema hayo mkoani Dodoma mwanzoni mwa wiki hii wakati akielezea mikakati mbalimbali inayotaka kuchukuliwa na serikali ili kuweza kulimiliki shirika hilo kwa asilimia 100 badala ya 65 za sasa.

Kwa sasa TTCL inamilikiwa kwa ubia, serikali ikiwa na asilimia 65 wakati 35 zinamilikiwa na kampuni ya simu za mikononi ya Airtel.

“Mazungumzo tayari yameshaanza na dhamira yetu ni kununua aslimia 35 ya hisa zinazomilikiwa na wenzetu ili serikali iweze kumiliki asilimia 100,” alisema Mh. Makamba.

Alisema katika kufanya mipango ya kwenda mbele kimaendeleo kupitia shirika hili ni lazima kufanya mchakato wa kulimiliki kwa asilimia 100 ili serikali iweze kufanya mageuzi kwa utashi wake kadiri inavyofaa.

Alifafanua kwamba hatua hii ni Kutokana na changamoto zilizopo za kimuundo, kiungozi na ndio maana serikali imechukua hatua za kinidhamu miongoni mwa baadhi ya watendaji waliobainika kutumia madaraka yao vibaya ikiwa ni pamoja na kufanya ubadhirifu na hivyo kulisababishia shirika hasara.

“Hii ni moja ya hatua muhimu katika kuelekea kufanya mageuzi katika shirika hili kongwe hapa nchini,” alisema.

Alizitaja changamoto nyingine kuwa ni matatizo ya mtaji, na kusema kuwa ni lazima yashughulikiwe ikiwa ni pamoja na kwenda na teknolojia mpya na kulifanya shirika lijiwekeze kibiashara zaidi ya ilivyo sasa.

“Naamini katika kufanya mageuzi makubwa bodi itachukua nafasi yake kwa maana ya uongozi wa shirika katika kurekebisha mambo na mapungufu yaliyopo, kwa maana ya kuweka uongozi mpya utakaoleta mabadiliko ili kulibadilisha liwe shirika kubwa la kisasa linalotengeneza faida,” alisisitiza.

Alisema kutokana na historia yake huko nyuma kampuni hii ilipaswa kuwa ndio kampuni inayoongoza kimapato na pia kwa kutoa huduma nchi nzima kutokana na kuwa ipo kila wilaya katika nchi, lakini kutokana na changamoto mbalimbali imekuwa ni tofauti na matarajio yaliyowekwa wakati huo.

Alisisitiza kuwa wakati sasa umefika kwa shirika kuwa katika mtazamo wa kuwekeza kibiashara zaidi na ushindani.

“Shirika hili kongwe limeendelea kubaki kama lilivyo na serikali imeliona hilo, kinachohitajika ni kuwekeza katika rasilimali fedha na watu ili kukabiliana na ushindani wa kibiashara uliopo sasa,” aliongeza.

Alisema mbali na changamoto zote hizo lakini TTCL imefanikiwa kuunganisha Ofisi za Serikali, mashirika mbalimbali, Taasisi za kifedha, utangazaji na Taasisi za elimu na hivyo kuboresha matumizi ya huduma za mtandao wa mawasiliano kupitia Mkongo wa Taifa wa Mawasiliano katika utoaji wa huduma mbalimbali kwa wananchi.

“Kwa mfano huduma za video conferencing zinawezesha kuendesha mafunzo au mikutano kwa wahusika na hivyo kuongeza ushiriki, na kupunguza gharama,” alisema.

Akisikiliza kero za wafanyakazi wa kampuni hiyo hivi karibuni, waziri Makamba aliiagiza bodi ya Wakurugenzi ya TTCL kumtumia Mkaguzi Mkuu wa Serikali (CAG) kufanya ukaguzi wa mahesabu ili kuthibitisha tuhuma za ubadhirifu wa fedha za kampuni hiyo ili hatua za kisheria wakibainika.

Baadhi ya malalamiko yaliyotolewa na wafanyakazi hao ni pamoja na uongozi na bodi dhaifu katika ufuatiliaji mambo, ubadhirifu wa fedha za kampuni pamoja na uhamisho wa wafanyakazi usofuata taratibu.

Mwisho

Government commends Bank of Africa Tanzania for spreading wings

The Minister for Finance, Dr. William Mgimwa stresses a point to journalists during the launch of the Bank of Africa Tanzania new Branch at Kahama district, in Shinyanga region yesterday.

The Minister for Finance, Dr. William Mgimwa talks during the launch of the Bank of Africa Tanzania new Branch at Kahama district, in Shinyanga region yesterday.  Other in the picture are the bank’s Managing Director, Mr. Ammish Owusu (centre) and the bank’s board of Directors Chairman, Ambassador Fulgence Kazaura (right).

By a Correspondent, Shinyanga

The government has commended Bank of Africa Tanzania for endeavors to spread throughout the country, saying that the efforts complement her resolve to offer financial services to as many Tanzanians as possible.

The complements have been given by the Minister for Finance, Dr. William Mgimwa during the launch of the bank’s new Branch at Kahama district, in Shinyanga region yesterday.

“Your efforts to open new branches in Tanzania conform to the government’s policy to go rural and serve those who do not access financial services…we commend you for this,” Dr. Mgimwa said.

The Minister said that there is a direct correlation between the number of banks a country have and economic performance and urged other banks in the country to emulate the Bank of Africa Tanzania’s footsteps for the good of their business and that of the country at large.

“Big and affluent economies such as Europe, America and South Africa have a strong base of banks and other financial institutions,” he said, adding that the government will continue supporting private banks in terms of conducive policies and good working environment to make sure that they achieve their objectives.

However, he challenged the banking industry in Tanzania to look into ways of lowering loan interests so that people can find it easy to service their loans and therefore expand their businesses with ease.

“This will help people expand economically, return loans to banks on time and build trust,” he said, adding that people on the other hand should build a habit of repaying their loans on time to banks to avoid unnecessary problems.

On his part, the Chairman of the Board of Bank of Africa Tanzania, Ambassador Fulgence Kazaura said a wide network of the bank in 15 African countries is an opportunity for the business community in the country to expand and network with fellow business people in Africa and called upon them to use the opportunity for their development.

“Seize the opportunity and use the bank’s diverse services for your progress,” he said.

The Head of Retail Banking at the bank, Ms. Mwanahiba Mzee said people of Kahama should be ready to enjoy diverse services offered by the bank.

“People of Kahama should expect unique services offered by our bank,” she said.

The District Commissioner for Kahama, Mr. Benson Mpyesa thanked the management of the bank for their decision to open the branch in the district.

He said the district has a lot of major economic activities ranging from mining and agriculture ones and therefore needs more robust financial services.

“We thank you for this major milestone in our district,” he said.

Kahama branch becomes the 18^th branch for the Bank of Africa Tanzania. 

Since it started operations in the country in 2007, the bank has managed to open ten branches in Dar es Salaam and eight branches in Morogoro, Tunduma, Mwanza, Moshi, Mbeya, Arusha, Mtibwa and now Kahama. 

Bank of Africa Tanzania is a part of a Pan African bank called Bank of Africa Group.

The Group operates in 15 countries, of which 7 are in West Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger and Senegal); 6 in East Africa (Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Tanzania and Uganda).

It is also present in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in France.

In addition to its 14 commercial banks, the Group also includes a finance company, a housing bank, a leasing company, one brokerage and two investment firms, as well as a management company and a representative office in Paris.

Ends