National Economic Empowerment Council gets first woman executive secretary

National Economic Empowerment Council (NEEC)

President Jakaya Kikwete has appointed Beng’i Issa the first new Executive Secretary of the National Economic Empowerment Council (NEEC), replacing Dr Anaclet Kashuliza who has completed her office tenure.

 

A statement issued by the council said previously, Issa worked with the Tanzania Commission for Aids (Tacaids) as director of finance, administration and resource mobilisation, a position that she held for 12 years.

 

While in charge of resource mobilisation at the commission, she was able to create Aids Trust Fund for Tanzania HIV and Aids national response. She also facilitated the initiation of a basket fund for HIV and Aids. 

 

Tacaids is the national apex body in charge of co-ordinating and leading HIV and Aids national response for Tanzania through resource mobilisation, strategy development, monitoring and evaluation and advocacy.

 

Before she joined the commission, Issa was the financial controller of CARE International in Tanzania for three years where she was in charge of financial affairs for the Country Office. 

 

Care International in Tanzania is an International Non-Governmental Organization responsible for multi-sectoral development programmes to improve access to quality education, fight against HIV and Aids, improve health care, preserve environment and address environmental problems such as soil erosion, deforestation and water pollution, improve nutrition and distribute food to vulnerable populations.

 

 It said Issa was also a lecturer in accounting and finance for about eight years at the Mzumbe University. 

 

She performed training in post graduate degrees and undergraduate courses on various subjects namely; financial management, management accounting, investment analysis and risk management, audit and financial accounting. She is also a professional trainer in financial management and rich experience in leadership and management including fiduciary management.

 

It further said the ED a is a member of Tanzania Association of accountants and National Board of accountants and Auditors, She is a chair of the Tanzania Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness Centre and a member of the steering committee which designs Tanzania National Health Financing Strategy. She is a part time lecturer at the Mzumbe University.

 

According to statement, she holds a Master’s Degree of Science in Financial Management from Glasgow Caledonian University (UK), Certified Public Accountancy (T) and Advanced Diploma in Certified Accountancy (IDM Mzumbe).

 

NEEC is a Government Agency established by an Act No. 16 of 2004 as a way forward to speed up the process of empowering the Tanzanians economically. 

The Council is charged with the responsibilities of facilitating designing, planning, supervising, monitoring and evaluation and coordinating all economic empowerment activities. 

 

It is also charged with mobilising resources and managing special funds for economic empowerment activities. Economic Empowerment is one of the vehicles to achieve the Mkukuta, the MDG and ultimately the Vision 2025.