At a Press Release in Mbeya, The Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) has said youth and women are priority groups in Tanzania’s development agenda.
Speaking at a meeting to sensitise TPSF members in Mbeya Region TPSF Executive Director, Godfrey Simbeye said involvement of youth and women will help empower them economically.
“There are a lot of women dealing with businesses, that is a reason why we have decided to recognise them in the coming new setup” he said.
Under the new system, a new TPSF board structure will be based on clusters and inclusion of special interest groups such as women, youths and the disabled.
There will be ten clusters to be expanded depending on the changes in the economy. The clusters are agriculture; manufacturing/industry; extractive industries and energy and tourism and natural resources.
Others are banking and financial services; services; trade and commerce; private sector organizations based in Zanzibar; regional business associations and women entrepreneurs.
According to recommendations of the subcommittee of the task force on strengthening the common voice of the private sector in Tanzania, TPSF will have 11 board members of which 10 are elected based on representation from the proposed clusters and one position reserved for the outgoing chairperson.
He said that TPSF will strengthen training given to youths in the country and make them value entrepreneurship instead of depending on employment. “In this era young people should be creative and entrepreneurs,” adding that the foundation works with various stakeholders in and outside the country in building such capacity to youths.
He ensured that TPSF will forward its recommendations to the government seeking its support in programmes toward women and youths development. “We want to have a very huge impact in the government’s five-year development plan especially in regard to youth and women entrepreneurial and business skills”.
The one day seminar that took place in Mbeya also involved members from other Southern Highlands regions of Iringa, Rukwa, Njombe, Katavi and Ruvuma.
