The government says it is pleasing that there has been increased confidence by cooperating partners on the Social Cash Transfer ( SCT ) programme following the introduction of the smart system of administering cash which has led to transparency and accountability.
Community Development Minister Kampamba Chewe says the reduction on the physical handling of the cash through the smart system is meant to reduce misappropriation of funds and promote accountability in the management of the mainly donor funded cash.
Mr Chewe however noted that the new smart system being used has resulted in challenges as some people were having problems with the use of phone password pins numbers to access the funds and in the end the money is sent back to Lusaka.
“Our people should just adjust and learn how to use the phones, I know the challenge has been with the pin numbers but that can be corrected, and once the pin is corrected, the money can be retrieved,” she explained.
Mrs Chewe was speaking in Kitwe today when she paid a courtesy on Kitwe District Commissioner before launching the Covid-19 emergency SCT.
Following the misappropriation of SCT by named officials at the Ministry of Community Development, a number of donors pulled out thereby disadvantaging a number of vulnerable people, mostly in outlying areas of this country
And Mrs Chewe explained that government realised that Kitwe had been hit hard by COVID-19 hence the decision to include it on the target areas for the Covid-19 funds.
And Mrs Chewe has explained that her Ministry is scaling up the old cash transfer to capture seven thousand beneficiaries from the current 632,000.
Apart from scaling up, the rations have been increased to K150 from K90 , beneficiaries with disabilities will receive double the amount to be paid bi-monthly.
Earlier Kitwe District Commissioner Chileshe Bweupe said there has been an increase in the number of vulnerable people in district.
Mr. Chileshe among these numbers the students and pupils who need sponsorship.
“There has been an increase in the number of vulnerable people in the district especially school going pupils, we appeal for your help,” Mr. Chileshe appealed.
Advising the Ministry to consider the plight of these vulnerable people, Mr. Bweupe also expressed happiness at the increased number of Social Cash Transfer beneficiaries in the district and the fact that they will be paid bi-monthly.
The Covid-19 Emergence Social Cash Transfer is a fund initiated by government to cushion the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the vulnerable people.
Enjoy the loot while you are at it. I wonder why these donors continue to donate to this country despite being fully aware of what happens to the donated items.
Donors enjoy supporting a rot. Once some practice that keeps a beneficiary stagnant or moving backward takes root the donor ramps up their efforts. It is all a rot! Develop, within your OWN budgets, an aid package for your own internal consumption for the vulnerable that should rival or at the very least equal what you receive.
Awesome news, the system has become more transparent hence the stance taken by donors
Hoodwinking Zambians and trivializing the killing of Nsama Nsama and Kaunda will not work. PF regime has killed many innocent Zambians, currently we are mourning the death of these two Zambians still in the morgue – our hearts are with their families.
Is the Police murderer who shot the two in custody now?
What law did the two martyred Zambians break?
The erratic pronouncements of frightened little men dreaming of being Kings ruling by decree are not law.
These donations you receive destroys your power to look after yourselves if you are always receiving you lose capacity to work hard you only start waiting for someone though you have what it takes to have your own it is a shame that Africa has continued on this path.
Donations will not I say will not grow your economy it will only destroy your confidence to work had see how all the of world resources are found in Africa , but we have failed to do anything with them because we only expect someone should come over to do work for us, it has never worked and it will never work they will not allow it to happen no it won’t . For how many years has Zambia received donations before you were born the story was the same.
She is pleased with timing…this will go hand in hand with PF campaign..handing out cash with PF religia.