NGOs network pinpoints six key issues on Budget

Dodoma. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) yesterday commended the government for its efforts in improving service delivery to Tanzanians.

They also called upon the government to act on at least six specific issues if the new budget for the 2018/19 financial year is to have a positive impact on people’s lives.

In their statement issued under the Policy Forum umbrella, the NGOs want the government to improve revenue collections; increase education allocation and employ more workers in the health sector.

In the statement delivered by the Policy Forum manager for policy analysis, Mr Nicholas Lekule, the NGOs also want the government to ensure that it disburses in full and in good time the funds budgeted for the agricultural sector.

Noting that the youth of Tanzania need special impetus that is carefully orchestrated by various government departments and agencies, Mr Lekule said that this is with the aim of ensuring that youths are able to employ themselves – and also become employable.

Furthermore, it is the Policy Forum’s view that the government will also come up with a system that would improve relations between the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) and taxpayers.

“We would also want to remind our members of Parliament (MPs) to remember the importance of advising the government regarding the need to endorse a realistic budget,” Mr Lekule said, reading from the joint statement.

This, Mr Lekule went on, is based on the fact that revenue collection targets have consistently been missed during the past few years, thereby creating challenges in budget execution that result in slowed-down pace of project implementation, or altogether halting planned implementation of development projects.

Figures cited by Policy Forum show that, until April this year, the government had managed to collect Sh21.9 trillion only – equivalent to 69 per cent of the targeted collection of Sh31.7 trillion for the 2017/18 budget.

Specifically, Policy Forum is of the view that MPs will spend a good chunk of their time discussing ways of improving revenue collection.

“The collection process must also be fair; one that improves relations between taxpayers on the one side, and their government on the other,” the Policy Forum statement reads, adding that, partly as a result of this, the number of taxpayers should go up.

After collecting the revenues, the money must also be put to proper use, in line with approvals as per the national legislature.

“We emphasize strict discipline in the expenditure of public resources,” the statement stresses.

MPs, the Policy Forum statement says, must also critically analyse the sectors that are closely linked to the government’s overall industrialization agenda so that they (the MPs) can accurately advise on the required linkages for Tanzania to meet with its economic growth aspirations.

Established in 2003, the Policy Forum is a network of 76 Tanzanian civil society organisations that are drawn together by their specific interest in augmenting the voice of ordinary citizens. The underlying objective is to influence policy processes that help in poverty reduction, equity and democratization with a specific focus on public money accountability at both the central and local government levels.