AFRICAN MIGRANTS COULD SAVE US$4 BILLION ANNUALLY ON REMITTANCE FEES, FINDS WORLD BANK

By; Word Bank

Africa's overseas workers, who sent close to US$ 60 billion in remittances in 2012, pay more to send money home than any other migrant group. According to the World Bank's Send Money Africa database, Sub-Saharan Africa is the most expensive region to send money to, with average remittance costs reaching 12.4 percent in 2012. The average cost of sending money to Africa is almost 12 percent- higher than global average of 8.96 percent, and almost double the cost of sending money to South Asia, which has the world's lowest prices (6.54 percent).

The G8 and the G20 established 5 percent as the target average remittance price to reach by 2014.  “High transaction costs are cutting into remittances, which are a lifeline for millions of Africans,” said Gaiv Tata, Director of the World Bank's Africa Region and Financial Inclusion and Infrastructure Global Practice. 

“Remittances play a critical role in helping households address immediate needs and also invest in the future, so bringing down remittance prices will have a significant impact on poverty.” Lower cost remittances also advance financial inclusion, since they are often the first financial service used by recipients, who are then more likely to use other financial services including bank accounts.

Remittance prices are even higher between African nations. South Africa, Tanzania, and Ghana are the most expensive sending countries in Africa, with prices averaging 20.7 percent, 19.7 percent, and 19.0 percent respectively, due to several factors including limited competition in the market for cross-border payments.

“Governments should implement policies to open the remittances market up to competition,” said Massimo Cirasino, Manager of the Financial Infrastructure and Remittances Service Line at the World Bank. “Increased competition, as well as better informed consumers, can help bring down remittance prices".Send Money Africa also finds that banks, which are the most expensive remittance service providers, are often the only channel available to African migrants.

A regulatory environment that encourages competition among remittance service providers can help bring down remittance prices. Migrant workers can also benefit from more transparent information on remittance services.  

KIKWETE:TATIZO LA WALIMU KUISHA IFIKAPO 2015

Rais Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete amesema ifikapo mwaka 2015 hakutakuwa na uhaba wa walimu nchini na kuanzia mwaka 2020 shule za msingi zitaanza kufundishwa na walimu wenye elimu ya shahada, kutokana na idadi kubwa ya wahitimu wa fani hiyo watakaokuwa kwenye soko la ajira. 

Akizungumza kwenye kongamano linalohusu masuala ya uchumi na maendeleo lililoandaliwa na Kigoda cha Mwalimu Nyerere kwa kushirikiana na Kitivo cha Uchumi cha Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam, Rais Kikwete amesema , katika sekta ya elimu licha ya kuwa na changamoto kadhaa, lakini serikali imepiga hatua kubwa ya maendeleo kutokana na kuongezeka kwa idadi ya wanafunzi wanaoandikishwa kwenye darasa la kwanza, wanafunzi wa sekondari na vyuo vikuu na vile vya ufundi. 

Hata hivyo Rais Kikwete amekiri Tanzania inakabiliwa na upungufu wa walimu wa masomo ya sayansi jambo amabalo linapaswa kutafutiwa suluhisho.

KIPA MUNISHI AREJESHWA TAIFA STARS

Timu ya Taifa (Taifa Stars) imeingia kambini  kujiandaa kwa mechi ya kirafiki ya kimataifa dhidi ya mabingwa wa Afrika, Zambia (Chipolopolo) huku Kocha Kim Poulsen akimjumuisha tena katika kikosi hicho kipa Deogratias Munishi ‘Dida’.

Poulsen amemjumuisha Munishi kwenye kikosi hicho kuziba nafasi ya Mwadini Ally ambaye atakuwa nje ya nchi na timu yake ya Azam inayokwenda kushiriki mashindano maalumu nchini Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasi ya Congo (DRC).

Mechi kati ya Taifa Stars na mabingwa hao wa Afrika itachezwa Desemba 22 mwaka huu kwenye Uwanja wa Taifa. Kocha wa Chipolopolo, Herve Renard ameshataja kikosi chake cha wachezaji 24 kwa ajili ya mechi hiyo.

TFF yataka wachezaji wa timu ya Congo wapimwe upya

Shirikisho la Mpira wa Miguu Tanzania (TFF) limewasilisha barua ya malalamiko yake dhidi ya matumizi ya wachezaji wenye umri mkubwa na unyanyasaji uliofanywa kwa maofisa wa timu ya taifa ya vijana walio na umri chini ya miaka 17 wa Serengeti Boys wakati wa mechi ya marudiano ya michuano ya Mataifa ya Afrika kwa Vijana dhidi ya Congo.

Serengteti Boys iliondolewa kwenye mashindano hayo kwa jumla ya mabao 2-1 baada ya kuibuka na ushindi wa bao 1-0 katika mechi ya kwanza iliyofanyika Novemba 18, 2012 kwenye Uwanja wa Taifa jijini Dar Es salaam na baadae kukubali kipigo cha mabao 2-0 kwenye mechi ya marudiano jijini Brazaville Jumapili iliyopita.

Hata hivyo kwa mujibu wa TFF ni kwamba mechi hizo mbili zilizigubikwarwa na matukio tata, hasa kuhusu umri wa wachezaji wa Congo ambao kimaumbile walionekana kuwa ni umri mkubwa zaidi na kusababisha TFF kuwasiliana na Shirikisho la Mpira wa Miguu la Afrika (CAF) kuhusu njia zinazowezekana kupata uthibitisho wa umri wa wachezaji hao, lakini ilishindikana na ndipo TFF ilipocheza mechi hiyo ikiwa na imeweka pingamnizi.

Katika barua iliyotumwa CAF jana, TFF imerejea barua ya pingamizi aliyokabidhiwa kamisaa wa mechi ya kwanza jijini Dar Es salaam,Bw. Chayu Kabalamula na malalamiko yaliyowasilishwa kwa kamisaa wa mechi ya marudiano kuhusu vurugu walizofanyiwa maofisa wa

timu.

Katika barua hiyo, TFF imeomba CAF iagize kuwa wachezaji wote wa Congo waliocheza mechi hizo mbili wapimwe tena kwa kutumia kipimo cha M.R.I na gharama za zoezi hilo zilipiwe na TFF; na pili Shirikisho limeomba kuwa CAF ikubali kuipa Tanzania wiki tatu za kukusanya ushahidi na kuuwasilisha Cairo kwa ajili ya maamuzi.

MGOGORO WA ARDHI TEGETA,BUNJU KUTATULIWA

Waziri wa Ardhi, Nyumba na Maendeleo ya Makazi Prof. Anna Tibaijuka amekutana na wakazi wa tegeta katika ziara yake ya kikazi ambayo lengo lake ni kusikiliza na kutatua mgogoro wa ardhi uliopo kati ya wakazi hao na kiwanda cha kutengeneza Saruji (Twiga Cement).

Prof. Tibaijuka amewahakikishia wananchi wa kata Wazo na Bunju kuwa mgogoro huo wa ardhi utapatiwa ufumbuzi wa kudumu na kuwataka wananchi hao kutoa ushirikiano ili lengo la utatuzi wa mgogoro huo liweze kutimia.

SHEIN AKUTANA NA WATENDAJI WA WIZARA YA AFYA ZNZ

HABARI PICHA: MICHUZI BLOG

MAKAMU WA RAIS WA MIGA KUFANYA ZIARA TANZANIA NA AFRIKA KUSINI

Makamu wa Rais na Afisa Mkuu Uendeshaji wa shirika liitwalo Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) la Benki ya Dunia, Bw. Michel Wormser, anatajia kufanya ziara ya kikazi ya siku tano katika nchini ya Tanzania na Afrika ya Kusini ifikapo mwezi December mwaka huu.

Taariafa kutoka Benki ya Dunia zinaeleza ziara hiyo ya Bw. Wormser, inalenga kuangalia namna uwekezaji dhamana unavyoweza kukuza sekta binafsi nchini katika nchi tajwa.

Inatazamiwa kuwa  Bw. Michel Wormser atakapofika nchini Tanzania atakutana na viongozi wa serikali na wale wa sekta binafsi ili kujadili fursa za uwekezaji katika kilimo cha biashara na nishati.

"Hivi karibuni taarifa ya Benki ya Dunia kukusu ukuaji wa uchumi wa Tanzania inaonesha haja ya kusaidia kilimo kiwe cha kibiashara ili asilimia 80 ya Watanzania wanaoishi katika maeneo ya vijijini waweze kufaidika na ukuaji wa uchumi," anasema Wormser.