is important for Council and Community development as it provides access to relevant information and knowledge which improves efficiency and productivity; enhances social services delivery; increases access to market opportunities; and improves government performance, among others. Information Technology Communication and Public Relation unit since the beginning of its establishment it has passed through various stages. It has done the best to prepare itself with what was essential required to meet challenge of times and thus make it presence felt through the finest use of its potentials.
Core functions of Communication and Public Relation are:
To coordinate Publications on special features, journals, brochures and news about the District Council both mechanically and electronically in the District Council website for the purpose of publicizing and marketing the services offered by the Council.
Supervising and repairing of Information Technology applications, software and hardware in the council.
To serve as a link between media and Council on one hand and Council and public on the other through.
To assist in elaborating various government policies through publications, interactive interviews or discussions with stakeholders.
Supervising ICT guideline and policies if are adhered by all staff and providing some technical support where needed.
To coordinate classification and storage of information about government events, preferably using special computer applications in pictorial form, for easy access and retrieval.
To facilitate preparation and airing of various awareness campaigns in the District.
In order to meet the Unit objectives, the staff requirement according to establishment is three, while only two staffs are available and the unit has the shortage of one staff. The unit lack transport facilities and other information technology tools.
Njombe District Council is facilitated with reliable communication networks such as mobile phones and radio channels. By the end of 2015, the council had 4 operating cellular phone companies namely: Vodacom, Airtel, Hallo Tel and Tigo. The leading telephone company for wide coverage in Njombe District Council is Vodacom, followed by Halotel, Airtel and Tigo. There is 6 Radio services accessed in the council include Radio Free Africa, Clouds Fm, Uplands FM, Kings Fm and Ebony Fm, Starter Fm. Out of them only 3 radio station are found within the Council headquarter namely Uplands Fm, Kings Fm and Starter Fm. Through this media several of information has been disseminated to community. Furthermore, the Council has one television (Njombe District Council Television) which is not working for some year. The community access television services from various stations operated outside the District through decoder namely Azam, Zuku, Star times, Continental and Digital Satellite Television (DSTV). The Unit has achieved to prepare and publish 20 magazines (Twende Pamoja) depicting various developmental sectoral information from different sectors.
The information disseminated through magazine includes government policy, education, Health, and Council projects implementation. The magazine contribute a lot to the community development as it increase sense for people participation in decision making and action, sharing knowledge, change their behavior and life style. The unit has achieved to build strong media relation with media stakeholders which are found outside the District jurisdiction. Through this relation council information has been aired out
through different programs. The unit prepares and airing various awareness campaigns in the District based on educating society in the aspect of economical, social and tradition matters. Various communication and tools has been used to carry out this campaign including traditional dances and songs, public announcement system, newspapers, features, articles Publication and radio programs. The Unit has managed to Supervise Information Technology applications, software and hardware.
