US envoy commends media for reporting scams

The United States yesterday praised the media and civil societies for unearthing scandals and making the government accountable. The US Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Mark Green, told representatives from the media and civil societies at Ubungo Plaza in Dar es Salaam that the media was doing a good job.

He said since 2006 through investigative journalism and Public Expenditure Tracking System (PETS) the public was being well informed. He said the trend had made Americans to continue supporting Tanzania's development programmes. He was officially closing a two-year Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) media project under which 310 journalists were trained in investigative journalism. During the last two years the trained journalists published over 650 investigative stories on corruption. According to the Director of PACT TANZANIA, Mr Dan Craun Selka, a total of 88 PETS committees were operating in 65 districts while holding local authorities and leaders accountable to members of the public for their performance. "You might wonder why I find this is so exciting. It is because the accountability and transparency that PETS encourages and fosters, will help build and sustain Tanzania's prosperity as a nation," he said. He also commended the government's commitment in fighting corruption.