Donors appreciates the implementation of TASAF programmes

DEVELOPMENT Partners are satisfied with implementation of the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) productive social safety net (PSSN) programme which is on track in achieving its objectives. They have urged government to substantially increase its budget allocation to the PSSN and also explore additional funding sources. Mission Task Team Leader, Muderis Abdulahi Mohammed, made the remarks at the Joint Review Mission Wrap-up Meeting held in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday this week after having carried out field visits in Pemba, Mkalama, Muheza, Chato and Mbarali recently. “Most of the processes of the conditional cash transfers (CCT) are well stabilised and operate adequately. Compliance records for health and education grew from 37 percent and 28 percent in July 2015 to 82 percent and 81 percent respectively in May 2016,” said Mohammed. However, compliance with co-responsibilities is over 95 percent in health and over 90 percent in education whereby children aged between 6-18 years enrolled in schools with 93.8 percent attendance, he said. “Ninety one percent of households with children below the age of five years attend health facilities regularly,” he noted. On average 58 percent of households voluntarily joined the Community Health Fund (CHF) to overcome risks and shocks in time of need. Considering the Budget shortage, Mohammed said the mission has recommended maintaining of public works roll-out only to 44 project authority areas (PAAs) which are about 300,000 households until more budgets become available. He noted a good progress towards instituting e-payment system to digitalise cash transfers and increase financial inclusion in a flexible distribution. Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Amina Shabani, said the TASAF programme needs to be enhanced and sustained, expressing the government’s commitment to fully support the projects. “The government extends recognition to the DPs for their invariable support,” she said. TASAF Executive Director Ladislaus Mwamanga pointed out that the programme intended to reach 10 percent of the entire population but has surpassed the limit. “The project has already covered 1.1 million poor households which is equivalent to 15 percent of the total population in 161 Project Authority Areas (PAAs) which is close to 10,000 villages,” noted Mwamanga.