‘TPDC staff engage in job fraud’

Dar es Salaam. Local sailors have accused the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) staff of acting as recruiting agents on behalf of companies engaged in oil and gas exploration in the country.

The Sailors Community of Tanzania says the situation has led to exploitation of both local and foreign workers. They also stated that Tanzanian sailors remain jobless because of corruption and favouritism over foreigners.

The community’s chairman Mr Frank Chuma told this paper that TPDC staff, some of whom have been reported to management for recruiting workers on behalf of oil and gas companies, do benefit from the deals, contrary to the purposes of the corporation which is supposed to link the employer and employees.

He said as for now, more than 5,000 local sailors are jobless because almost all positions in ships are reserved for foreigners who are underpaid because most of them have neither work nor resident permits.

However, even the few Tanzanians who gain employment through the dishonest TPDC managers work for meagre salaries as large parts of their wages go to their go-between bosses.

Mr Chuma says TPDC has from time to time advised the seamen to submit their Curricula Vitae (CVs) to its managers if they want to work.

However, he and his associates refused to do so because they do not want to be under the control of a third party but prefer to be linked with employers and have contracts between them.

“We are aware that if you get a job through these dishonest officials we will not have signed contacts because they will have to sign on our behalf. That will mean giving away our own rights as workers and benefiting third parties. Because we did not accept that, they’re recruiting from a pool of questionable professionals, thus tarnishing the image of Tanzania’s sailors before foreign companies,” said Mr Chuma.

The Citizen