CSOs and other stakeholders including AMREF have lauded the government for launching the long-awaited National Education and Training Policy (ETP) that had been in the back-burner for almost eight years.

Speaking soon after the launch, Dr. Serafina Mkuwa, a representative of AMREF working on sexual reproductive said that the policy can finally be operationalized as among other things, it now allows re-entry of pregnant girls to school after giving birth.

The Ileje District Commissioner has hailed the support extended by civil society organisations in her district and admitted her own work would have been more difficult in their absence. Rosemary Staki Senyamule acknowledged the work done by IRDO, MIICO, Restless Development and Policy Forum to name a few and advised government to see CSOs more than just faultfinders but partners in development.

Recently the International Consortium for Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), a US-based watchdog released a report  with data on monies wired to the HSBC Bank in Switzerland (one of the world’s largest banks) including by people associated or connected to Tanzania. About a hundred people wired $ 114 million (equivalent to 205 billion Tanzanian shillings) for year 2006/07.

Different civic actors have called upon the government to fully operationalize the reviewed National Education and Training Policy (ETP) of 1995 which now allows pregnant girls to return to school after they have given birth and recommended that sexual and reproductive education be given to young girls and young mothers.

This call was made during the Policy Forum Breakfast debate on 30th January 2015 at the New Africa Hotel.

Following the recent tabling and discussion of the Controller and Auditor General's (CAG) report on the Independent Power Tanzania Limited (IPTL) Tegeta Escrow Account (TEA) in parliament and the subsequent public outcry regarding revelations of unprecedented fraud, we, the undersigned Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)  wish to communicate our joint position on the controversy.

Value added Tax (VAT) is very crucial and one of the leading sources of revenue collection as compared to other sources of taxation payable by a large number of people and has to be made efficient as possible, it has been learnt.

Kindly be informed that Policy Forum offices will be closed for our Annual Retreat from Monday December 1st to Friday 5th December, 2014 (the entire staff will be in Mwanza).

The office will be opened and resume regular activity and operations on Monday 8th December 2014.

We apologize in advance for any inconvenience that this may cause.

A coalition of civil society organisations in Tanzania has commended the government for drafting the Value Added Tax (VAT) Bill of 2014 and Tax Administration Bill of 2014 which aim to administer VAT and create modern and effective tax administration, respectively.

One of the basic features of extractive industry transparency initiative (EITI) is that it provides citizens with information which they can use to demand for accountability which ultimately results to resource good governance; Greater appreciation of the contributions of Extractive Iindustry (EIs) to the country forinstance EIs contributed 10.6% of Government revenue in 2011/12. This is inclusive of VAT (1.5%) and contributions to pension funds (0.6%). This was pointed out during the Policy Forum Breakfast debate by Mr.

With the advent of natural gas in Tanzania, there are many players entering the fray to make a contribution in helping the country avoid the ‘resource curse’ or the ‘paradox of plenty’ that have in so many instances shackled many other African resource-rich countries and prevented them from benefiting from extractives.