REPOA mark 10 anniversary with significant achievements

By Aloyce Menda

The problems, challenges and causes that prompted scholars to establish a permanent research organization ten years ago are still there today. The Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA) started as a workshop on January 11, 1994.

President Benjamin Mkapa, who by then was the minister for science, technology and higher education opened the workshop held in Dar es Salaam. He then spoke of the importance of research in development and raised issues of concern relating to the status of research in Tanzania.

President Mkapa observed during the workshop that short-term consultancies undercut long-term researches and case studies in policy formulation in Tanzania. “We are poor because we are unscientific in outlook and backward in the technology we use in production,” said President Mkapa and stressed that without placing scientific knowledge, and tested appropriate technology at the center of the process of change, it will take many decades to win the war against poverty.

A year after the workshop, REPOA was registered as a voluntary, non-governmental, and non-profit making organization and held its first research workshop in April 1995. On April 08, this year REPOA marked 10’s anniversary with significant achievements.

The minister in the Vice-President’s Office responsible for Poverty Reduction, Hon. Edgar Maokola Majogo, said during the function to mark the ten’s anniversary that REPOA have contributed a lot in the development process particularly in poverty reduction.

He said apart from its research contributions in policy-making and implementation, REPOA have actively and effectively participated in numerous government initiatives for development and poverty reduction. He mentioned the National Development Vision 2025, the National Poverty Eradication Strategy (NPES), the Tanzania Assistance Strategy (TAS), the Tanzania Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) and the current National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (NSFEP) or MKUKUTA as among works supported by REPOA.

However, Professor Issa Shivji, who was among invited guests during the workshop to mark the ten’s anniversary said the key issue of short-term consultancies that undermine long-term researches in policy formulation is still valid. Most policy makers in Tanzania still rely heavily on short-term consultancies, he cautioned.

The Chairman of the IPP Media Group, Reginald Mengi advised REPOA to start researching on wealth creation as a step forward after 10 years of successful studies on poverty alleviation. Speaking as invited guest in the function, Mr. Mengi said poverty alleviation as a term is discouraging and humiliating. “Poverty alleviation is recognition of poverty as an essential part of man’s existence, that it must be there but it should not be too severe,” he said and cautioned that ‘poverty alleviation’ has no scientific determinant and it is only a temporary relief of poverty.

Mr. Mengi pledged to offer Tshs 100 million to supplement REPOA’s activities and suggested that the organization’s name be changed to Research on Wealth Creation. “In this regard, Research on Wealth Creation would then research on wealth creation impediments and how these can be overcome. Research on wealth creation would also be more attractive to the private sector and all other stakeholders interested in wealth creation,” Mengi concluded.

Professor Yodan Kohi, the director general of the Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), agreed with Mr. Mengi’s suggestion for REPOA to change name and start studies on wealth creation. Professor Kohi is a member of REPOA’s Board of Directors was giving vote of thanks during the function.

Before, Minister Majogo said Mr. Mengi is a ‘professor’ of wealth creation who deserves an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Dar es Salaam. He told the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dar es Salaam, Professor Mathew Luhanga who was present in the function to consider Mr. Mengi for an honorary PhD.

When asked privately a few moments later, Professor Luhanga declined to comment on the issue of giving an honorary PhD to Mengi. “The procedures are there at the university. Just go and ask the PR officers,” he said and refused more comments.

The Chairperson of REPOA Board, Professor Esther Mwaikambo also declined to comment on the suggestion by Mr. Mengi for REPOA to change of name. However, Professor Idris Kikula, a board member of REPOA rejected the idea. “We can’t change the name,” he said.

During the two-day workshop that preceded the function, 34 accomplished and progressive researches were discussed by various scholars. Among these 14 were tabled in the group of researchers on Resource Management, 10 were discussed in the Socio-Political group and another 10 were scrutinized by researchers in the Economic and Management group.
ENDS