As part of a major shake-up currently on at the Bank of Tanzania, the new management under Prof Benno Ndulu, has transferred from their previous positions, some members of staff in the central bank�s External Payments Arrears (EPA) account.

BoT Deputy Governor Enos Bukuku gave the information to The Guardian during a recent interview.

``We have not fired anyone so far, but have transferred some of the staff from their previous positions,`` said Bukuku, declining, however, to link the move to efforts being made to pave the way for an investigation to take place.

Bukuku said details regarding steps taken to push forward the investigations would be issued by the government�s special task force appointed to deal with the investigation.

His remarks come at the heels of the central bank statement, which stated that the management had removed some of its senior members of staff involved in the operation of the EPA during the financial year 2005/2006, pending appropriate review of their roles.

The central bank statement, which was issued last week and signed by Prof Ndulu, said those removed had been replaced by other appropriately qualified staff, but did not specify whether they had been suspended or transferred to other departments.

Neither did it reveal the names of those who were affected or their positions.

``The central bank`s management has also suspended the EPA account operations, pending review of the procedures and status of the account.

The changes are part of the bank`s strategy to reorganize management so as to improve governance,`` read the statement, in part.

President Jakaya Kikwete appointed Prof. Benno Ndulu as the new BoT governor early this month to replace Dr. Daudi Ballali, who was sacked after the central bank under his management, occasioned losses through dubious payments and dealings with phony companies in 2005/06 through the EPA account.