By Derick Tsimba
More than 47 000 urban households have benefited from the Government’s urban Food Deficit Mitigation programme across the country in the past two weeks, The Harare Post can report.
During a press statement in Harare yesterday, Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Professor Paul Mavima said Government had disbursed about ZWL$8 000 000.00 to urban households.
“Government has disbursed a total of ZWL$3 870 089.25 to 21 431 urban Food Deficit Mitigation beneficiary households in Bulawayo and Harare in the past two weeks when the lockdown measures were put in place. A further ZWL$4 756 409.20 has been paid to 26 140 beneficiary households in Bindura, Kariba, Kwekwe, Gwanda, Plumtree, Shurugwi, Mvuma and Beitbridge. Cash payments have replaced grain allocation in urban areas. Registration of beneficiaries is ongoing and should be completed before the end of April 2020,” said the Minister.
Minister Prof Mavima also said his Ministry had submitted 201 631 beneficiaries to Treasury whose livelihoods were affected by the measures put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19.
“The Ministry has submitted to Treasury a total of 201 631 beneficiaries whose livelihoods were affected by the measures put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19. The Ministry received lists from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, local authorities and informal traders associations.
“A further 800 000 beneficiaries were identified through an elaborate system of those who transact relatively low amounts on Econet’s Ecocash platform. This method is used successfully globally including in neighbouring Zambia. Payment will commence once Treasury authority is granted. ZWL$200 million is earmarked for this program in April 2020,” said the Professor.
Government continues to support quite a number of the vulnerable households and communities. The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare is striving to do better at the same time ensuring that people do not die of hunger.
