A group of beneficiaries of the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) loan scheme besieged the Zambia National Credit and Savings Bank (NATSAVE) in Nchelenge this morning demanding to be paid cash.
ZANIS reports from Nchelenge that the beneficiaries wondered why the contractor in the fish farming project allocated to the district has been given a permanent position in the project.
The development follows the approval and partial release of over three million kwacha by government through the CEEC for poverty reduction programmes in Nchelenge district.
The CEEC has revised the loan disbursement conditions in which funds will only be paid directly to a contractor or supplier of a project and not the loan applicants to avoid abuse of the funds as experienced previously.
Nchelenge District Administrative Officer Gift Hajongola confirmed the development in an interview with ZANIS in Nchelenge today.
Mr Hajongola said the PF government is committed to fighting poverty especially among the rural people.
He said over K641,000.00 of the funds has since been credited to seven beneficiary accounts.
He disclosed that the CEEC has devised a standard implementation plan where the bank will only pay the money to the contractor or the supplier upon certification for the service by the fisheries authorities.
Mr Hajongola said he was aware that some beneficiary groups are demanding for cash and were planning to confront the bank manager at the Zambia National Credit and Savings Bank (NATSAVE) over releasing the funds.
He observed that people would deliberately want to abrogate the financial management regulations that govern the disbursement of funds in order to access cash but advised them to heed expert advice.
The DAO said the government is very serious about poverty reduction and will not condone individuals who are bent on frustrating its efforts aimed at improving the lives of the masses that were currently wallowing in poverty.
He said the bank has just been entrusted with the task of ensuring that the money is used for the intended purpose adding that if people were aggrieved the government was there to address their concerns.
He further said the CEEC has put some monitoring measures in place to avoid misappropriation and pilferage of the resources as was the case during the MMD regime.
Mr. Hajongola said the money will only be paid to activities to avoid abuse and warned that those who will not comply will not access that the money.
Meanwhile, Nchelenge NATSAVE Branch manager Elvis Chimbinga explained that none of the beneficiary farmers will have direct access to the money to avoid abuse.
Mr. Chimbinga said the money will only be paid direct to the contractor or supplier and urged the farmers to understand the implementation measures that have been put in place or risk losing out completely.
If you live in Nchelenge it doesn’t strike me as someone who is intelligent or smart
People are here in Scotland, worst case scenario Lusaka not Nchelenge, is there electricity or water in that place let alone a a bank?
Thanks
@Mushota, Waba Malemba ubutali nokunungá muntweno yobe. fuseki kashinde ulenunka amafi
you all missed the point,,, those people is Nchelenge had there own of cool simple lifestyle before donch kubeba promises, they were told to sign forms and immmediately after they will be given money, impiya, cash!!.. and so now, they want impiya
Mushota, your name tells me that your village is Mushota village somewhere around Kawambwa and Nchelenge. Unless your name is fake ‘smart’ one, smart and intelligent people don’t trash their kindred
I worked with some organisations in Nchelenge.. too much thieving. I dont think they have good plans for this money. ishakukonkela naku bank??
The arrangement of paying the contractor or supplier is the best, but even here we need to put in place accountability measure so that there is no collusion between the supplier and CEEC through false receipts, or inflated prices/invoicing.
The people want development and this is one way of empowering them.
dont yield to their unreasonable demands to be paid cash
ala Gen abantu aba balishupa.. this money on there way from the bank kukonekela pa bar first.. i worked there for 2years hope theve changed.
I don’t see anything wrong wit hthis arrangement,people would get the money buy a car,even get another wife.I come from the are,.I know the mentality of these people.
My friend from scotland, you lack information it’s pitiful. My brother from nchelenge, dismiss from insults. Show the man from scotland that we have bigger bank accounts than he’ll ever dream.
What we are complaining about is the period from submisionof project concept notes and to the actual funding the process started last year in Februaryt 2013 up to this year Feb, the process is unnecessary too long. We got qoutations from different suppliers but no supplier/contractor can keep a qoute for that long, worse off the Kwacha has lost against dollar to those importing capital machinery. The Govt is in a hurry to create jobs for the youths, at least the process needs to take 6 months from inception to funding, we don’t mind even CEEC or Venture fund can build or contract reputable firms to build workshops, dams etc, but this must be driven by the beneficiary, any way the beneficiary has a say as some projects have collateral in form of property. Those who want cash are playing…
If my figures are correct, CEEC had projected to create over 2000 jobs from the said projects, if the period is lessened to say 4 to 6 months, it will mean in a year 4000 + jobs can be created. Why don’t we learn from Botswana, Its up to CEEC to do something about time frame. Abo abena Nchelenge they are not serious, poverty mentality.
The last forensic report on CEEC by Auditor General revealed glaring irregularities such that the ultimate objective so far has not been achieved. Over 60% of loans given out have not been repaid by the recipients. In fact there instances of political leaders hijacking the whole programme. If we had to scrutinize the individuals and groups receiving money, it would not be a surprise to find that the actual recipients are actually politically connected(We have clear cases of such under the DBZ loans,FRA,Youth Empowerment Funds and in those govt institutions dishing out almost free credit (money).
Empowerment is not money on a silver platter. sustainability is what we ought to comprehend. HOW CAN YOU POUR WATER INTO A CRACKED CISTERN? we need a system that will foster accountability even on the part of govt and broadcast responsibility on the beneficiaries end. a look at the positive side of this case will certainly compel one to appreciate the need for transparency and ease of evaluation.