By Derick Tsimba

In a press statement today in Harare, the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare has said his Ministry has distributed 80 000 metric tonnes of maize to rural communities as it scales up its social protection programs to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 and drought.

Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Prof Paul Mavima also said Government distributed grain to 760 000 households in the country’s eight rural provinces.

“A total of 7 114.19 metric tons of grain was distributed to vulnerable communities in all the eight rural provinces during the month of April 2020. Cumulatively 80 000 metric tonnes of grain has been distributed to vulnerable households since January 2020. The Government programme is covering 760 000 households and World Food Programme (WFP) is covering 600 000 households.

“In order to protect staff and beneficiaries during this period of COVID-19 additional ward distribution points have been established with the COVID-19 medical protocols being observed,” said the Minister.

The Harare Post has learnt that the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare has a Constitutional mandate to provide social protection services to vulnerable groups including the transitory poor.

After the declaration of COVID-19 as a national disaster and the subsequent implementation of lock down measures to contain its spread, the Ministry scaled up its social protection programs to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 and drought. COVID-19 and drought have rendered the majority of the citizens vulnerable which has caused the Government to intervene with support and protection.