NMB BANK DISHES OUT 900M/- FOR SCHOOL DESKS

Minister of State in the President's Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), George Simbachawene (right), receives a dummy cheque for 900m/- from NMB Acting CEO, Waziri Barnabas, for buying desks for schools across the country in Dodoma on Tuesday.

DODOMA - National Microfinance Bank (NMB) has issued 900m/- to the government to buy desks for schools across the country bringing to more than 1.5bn/- their contribution to ease the problem of shortage of school desks.

The Acting Chief Executive Officer, Mr Barbabas Waziri, handed a dummy cheque of 900m/- to the Minister of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), George Simbachawene, at an event held here on Tuesday.

Mr Waziri, who is also Chief Finance Officer of the bank said and for this regard, the board of directors of the bank had decided to direct the one per cent of the profit allocated for Corporate Social Responsibility to support the government in buying school desks.

He said the bank made 150bn/- profit last year down by 3.6 per cent from 154.5bn/- in 2014. NMB Bank was committed to support social services in the country because the welfare of the customers was important in ensuring the bank generate profit in its operations, he said.
He said a total of 600m/- were issued to the government last month for purchases of school desks and the 900m/- issued on Tuesday was another instalment.

Mr Simbachawene thanked the bank for the support and appealed to other banks to emulate the gesture shown by NMB to support the government for the well-being of the nation.

The minister said the government was proud of the bank as one of success stories of privatization in Tanzania as it generates profit and pays dividends to shareholders and creates trade and employment opportunities.

He said the bank had proved it could properly manage its core business, make profit and support the community through corporate social responsibility. He said the example given shows by the bank should be emulated by other companies and called for more support to other sectors like health.

Meanwhile, the minister said the government would issue desks statistics by the end of next week in order to identify areas of shortage and give a way forward. He urged all education stakeholders including schools heads and schools committees over the country to make sure all desks are kept in proper places in order to last longer.

The minister said, the government would not tolerate any executive who would not take seriously the issue of school desks and warned all executives to work together as one team to ensure conducive environment for learning.

The minister also noted that, 50 new secondary schools in the country would receive students for Form Five intake for the first time, and all local governments leaders including RCs and DCs offices must be prepared to receive students at their areas to avoid misunderstandings, said the minister.

He said heads of schools and other executives must get ready to communicate with executives at regional levels in case of any shortage of books and teachers for Form Five as soon as possible whenever the problem arises.

Daily News