Employers in Tanzania have been urged to maintain thorough and up-to-date records of their employees from the point of hiring through to retirement, to ensure timely disbursement of pension benefits and avoid unnecessary delays for retirees.
The appeal was made by Ms. Macelina Haule, a Senior Accountant from the Office of the Government Chief Accountant under the Ministry of Finance, during a public sensitisation session at the ongoing 49th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) in the country’s commercial capital.
Speaking to attendees at the Ministry’s pavilion, Ms. Haule stressed the critical role of employers in safeguarding the welfare of employees as they transition out of the workforce.
“Accurate employment records are essential in processing pension payments efficiently. Employers must ensure that all documentation is well-preserved from the day an employee is hired until retirement,” she said.
She added that employers are also responsible for educating staff approaching retirement on the procedures for accessing their benefits, including what they are entitled to and which pension fund will handle their claims.
Employees, too, she noted, have a duty to retain key documents related to their service history, which may be required should employer files lack crucial information.
For retirees whose pensions are processed through the Treasury, employers are expected to gather complete personnel files, verify the presence of necessary documentation, and submit them to the Treasury for action.
They are also tasked with calculating benefits, preparing pension certificates, and forwarding the completed files to the Controller and Auditor General for final clearance.
Additionally, Ms. Haule pointed out that in cases involving deceased employees, employers must collect inheritance documents from family members and channel them to the Treasury to facilitate the processing of survivor benefits.
The awareness campaign is part of the government’s broader efforts to strengthen pension systems and improve service delivery by ensuring accountability among both public and private employers.