INSURANCE CONGLOMERATE SANLAM HANDS OVER MULTI-MILLION SHILLINGS GRANT

Kondoa District Council Director, Falesy Mohamed Kibasa (left), and Sanlam life Chief Executive Officer, Khamis Suleiman, sign an agreement whereby Sanlam will fund the constructions of two classrooms of Lusangi Primary School in Kondoa. Looking on from third left are, Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority (TIRA) Director of Surveillance and Prudential Supervision, Elia Kajiba and Kondoa District Commissioner, Sezaria Veneranda Makota. A brief occasion was held in Kondoa, Dodoma region yesterday.

In commemoration of 100 years since its establishment, Sanlam Life and Sanlam General, has set a total of Tsh 147m aside annually for three years to finance community projects in Tanzania, with focus on construction of infrastructural facilities for government schools with special needs in various regions in the country.

The initiative was revealed by Chief Executive Officer of Sanlam Life Tanzania, Khamis Suleiman, during the launch of a building for two classes at Lusango Primary School in Kondoa District, Dodoma which earmarked to cost Tsh 49m.

The CEO noted that Sanlam, which is headquartered in South Africa and deals with life and general insurance, had set aside the money which is aimed to at shouldering the cost of erecting classrooms, toilets and other infrastructure due to their recognition of the importance of education to Tanzanians,as part of the company’s centenary celebrations.

“This is three year project in which each year a total of 147 millionwill be expended to improve infrastructure in targeted schools, this year we have started with Dodoma ( Kondoa), Mbeya, Mwanza and Zanzibar, said Suleiman.

The Kondoa District Commissioner Sezaria Veneranda, who represented the Dodoma Regional Commissioner Binilith Mehenga in the event, commended Sanlam for supporting in deeds the phase-five government’s efforts to provide quality universal education.

The DC noted that the past years had seen donor funds earmarked for various projects delivering below standards outputs or being deviated to unintended uses, and assured Sanlam that the grant would be used towards the specific goals, and in addition the projects would be completed on time and would be up to standard.

“ As you all know Presidents John Pombe Magufuli values the education sector so much and has placed special emphasis on the provision of quality education for all, so when we get donors who are willing to support this endevour, we feel obliged to, and sincerely give our utmost thanks,” said the DC.

Speaking at the occasion, said that the insurance market in the country was stable and was enjoying steady healthy growth due, buoyed by the on-going government efforts to create conducive conditions to widenpeople’s access to financial services.

“We at TIRA will always ensure that the insurance market which is under our oversight grows and exhibits maximum levels of profitability in order to motivate insurance companies to plough back part of their profits to the community.”

Speaking earlier at the event, Kondoa District Council Deputy Chairman, Hija Bakari Suru called on residents of the district to properly manage the funded projects inorder to realize not only the efforts of the company, but also that of the Kondoa Member of Parliament and the Deputy Minister for Finance and Planning Dkt Ashatu Kijaji who played instrumental roles in negotiating the grant deal.