The government has unearthed a scam in which some Pay Point Managers (PPMs) of Social Cash Transfer (SCT) program in Kapiri Mposhi district are deducting money from beneficiaries as transport refund.
Some PPMs, mostly teachers, engaged by government to pay SCT in the ongoing fund disbursement exercise in the rural parts of the district are demanding a sum of 20 Kwacha from each beneficiary to cover their transport costs.
This came to light when District Commissioner, Smart Mwila met over 100 village headmen and villagers of Nkole Chiefdom.
Speaking on behalf of the affected beneficiaries in the area, Goliath Kasempa, 74, complained that some PPMs were declining to pay beneficiaries their money for refusing to contribute a 20 kwacha to cover for their transport costs.
Mr Kasempa implored Mr Mwila to intervene in the matter and ensure that PPMs found wanting were brought to book.
“We don’t know if this is allowed but the people you have sent here to pay us Social Cash Transfer are stealing from us and we want you to help us,” Mr. Kasempa said.
But Mr Smart Mwila explained that PPMs were not supposed to demand for transport money from beneficiaries of SCT as they were always paid a Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) of K 710 and transport allowance by the department of Social Welfare when being deployed to pay beneficiaries.
Mr Mwila noted that the PPMs action of deducting money from allocations for beneficiaries had potential to negatively affect government’s objective of providing sufficient social protection for the vulnerable through the SCT Programme in the district.
“This is indeed daylight robbery and I can assure you that anyone who will be found wanting will pay back and will be punished accordingly because you don’t steal from the poor,” Mr Mwila said.
Mr Mwila has since directed the department of Social Welfare in the district to identify all the PPMs involved in the scamming of the vulnerable out of their money for further action.
Recently, the government released over K 2, 2 million to pay 6,160 beneficiaries of the SCT programme.
This money is inclusive of people living with disabilities who are being paid K 600 and the aged, chronically ill and child and women headed households who are entitled to K 300 bi-monthly payments respectively.
Arrest those thugs and crooks . They are being paid by upnd to sabotage social cash fund because upnd want to ban it.
WHATS NEW WITH THIS GOVERNMENT AM NOT SURPRISED
OBVIOUSLY HE DIDNT SHARE SO NOW HE MUST PAY THE PENALTY
This is really sad!! If people simply followed and adhered to the Golden Rule of the Bible, no single person would be suffering in the world. But sadly, Greed which is one of the 7 great Sins takes the better of our ubuntu and what is supposed to be our humane nature. Cage ’em culprits, please!!!
BREAKING NEWS:
MY FATHER, MENTOR AND BOSS EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU IS ELIGIBLE TO STAND FOR RE ELECTION, WHICH HE WILL WIN.
HH you now have to face the man you fear so much. Kikikiki
The whole system is flawed…what do we expect
The constitution is a bit tricky so different
Lawyers have different interpretations of
The clause.Concourt have to explain to
Zambians how it is interpreted.
Zambia when it comes to ethics is as rotten as they get.
Unfortunately, this is the culture that Lungu has brought. Very bad manners. Now everyone wants to be like Lungu.
Imagine a country where nearly everyone is a thief. Always doing side deals. Always being dishonest.
Vote wisely.
Just bewitch those teachers.
Poor teachers will be fvcked over K20.
I love tarino orange tiptop na quench. BALLY will fix the flawed system.
This is inbuilt. It started from Emerine Kabanshi all the way down to the pay points.
The system is usually flawed if it doesn’t favour you, independent when the judgement goes your way. Cry baby trolls!
The incoming president will solve all these delinquencies n rule of law will be restored. How far with the 48 ?
Arrest them! don’t even waste your time investigating. Vimangeni!
People are so quick to condemn but they forget that they are the thieves themselves. We need a national agenda to sensitize our children from joining this generation of thieves.
The question is how doe the qualify people for this SCT…if this was a fair system why not let NGOs like World Vision who have been in the field for over 25 years handle this,
If someone where is handling cash other hand the recipient then just know the system is flawed…how can PPM demand transport when s/he is static..are they going to they recipient? Why is GRZ paying them allowances and not utilising mobile money systems.
Banks should be in the villages too. Just wire the money straight to the receiver. Mobile banking?
I send money from UK to the village in minutes. Be smart, come on.
The rotten “Nchekeleko” culture. The entire country from President to the village goat tender wants to find a way to benefit illegally through finding loopholes in any setup involving money. Rotten to the core!
The system should have found a way of delivering the money directly into the beneficiary’s hands, eliminating middlemen. Every villager these days has a mobile phone or like Tarino said, partner with NGOs like World Vision. But of course they want a flawed system so they can benefit too.
It’s sad that people entrasted to pay the poor are in the forefront stealing from them. This is uncalled for and it must be brought to an end at all cost.