Government states intent to clear workers’ salary arrears

DODOMA: THE government has asked employers in the public service to submit names of their staff owed by the government in unpaid arrears so that they can be cleared of their debts.

The call was made in the August House by the Deputy Minister of State, in the President’s Office (Public Service Management and Good governance), Ridhiwani Kikwete.

Mr Kikwete was responding to a main question posed by Special Seats lawmaker, Neema Mgaya, who had wanted to know when the government will finish clearing outstanding debts.

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Responding, the Deputy Minister said that the government was continuously taking different steps to prevent accumulation of debts of public servants including salary arrears through the newly introduced system – Human Capital Management Information System (HCMIS).

Over the past 10 years, the government experienced various challenges in effective management of Human Resource and Payroll operations.

Among the challenges include ineffective and outdated HR and Payroll business processes that led to delays in effecting changes on various personnel actions including promotions, transfer, pay and exit from the payroll.

In response to these challenges, various reforms aimed at reforming the business processes and putting in place effective systems and structures to manage Human Resource and Payroll were introduced.

In harnessing the opportunities provided by Information and Communications Technology, an integrated Human Resource and Payroll management system, HCMIS was implemented as a tool for effective management of HR and Payroll in the Public Service.

In parliament yesterday, Mr Kikwete said that the HCMIS was introduced in May 2021 adding that the system has so far helped the government to control accumulation of arrears in the public service.

“Apart from this bold step, between May 2021 and today, the government has so far paid salary arrears to a total of 132,611 public servants amounting to 219.7bn/-,’’ he stated.

He directed all employers in public service to present the names of their staff who were yet to be paid so that a thorough verification is made so that their dues can be cleared immediately