The Shiwang`andu District Social Welfare Department in Muchinga Province, has embarked on a verification exercise to confirm the eligibility of female headed household beneficiaries under the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) programme.
District Social Welfare Officer Christious Mwanza says the verification exercise is meant to ensure that vulnerable deserving single mothers remain on the programme under the category of Female Headed Households, adding that the exercise has commenced and will run for 21 days.
Mr. Mwanza further said that enumerators have been deployed in all the wards in Shiwang`andu district to move from house to house and verify if women on Social Cash Transfer under the Female Headed Households category, are eligible to be on the programme .
Mr. Mwanza said this during the orientation meeting of civic leaders drawn from all the 17 wards.
The orientation meeting was held in the District Commissioner`s Conference Room in Shiwang’andu yesterday.
He said currently the district has 8,234 female beneficiaries on Social Cash Transfer (SCT) and 7,449 fall in the female headed households.
Mr. Mwanza further explained that so far more than 700 Female Headed Households have been verified.
“The acceptability of beneficiaries under the Female Headed Households is questionable as some of the beneficiaries told lies just for them to be on the programme” said Mr. Mwanza.
And Mr. Mwanza further said once the clean-up exercise is done, it will create a chance for more eligible beneficiaries to be on the Programme, noting that the clean-up, after verification, will help in reduction of inclusion errors.
He added that the exercise will also enhance credibility and integrity of the Social Cash Transfer programme.
And Shiwang`andu District Council Chairperson Sampa Bwali has thanked the District Social Welfare Department for organizing a meeting with councillors, saying it is important that civic leaders are involved in the implementation of various government programmes.
Mr. Bwali said with the involvement of civic leaders, implementation of various government programmes will be effective, hence the need for government departments to work hand in hand with the councillors.
Meanwhile, Shiwang`andu District Commissioner Maureen Bwembya has called on councillors to work diligently in the execution of their Civic duties and ensure that they get involved in promoting Social-economic development in the district.