Minister of Community Development and Social Welfare Olipa Phiri says disabled beneficiaries should receive K360 per month instead of K180 which other vulnerable groups get.

Speaking to beneficiaries in Sinda’s Kapungwe area, Wednesday, Phiri said she was saddened that disabled social cash transfer beneficiaries in Sinda were receiving the same amount of money as others.

She said she would investigate why this was so and force culprits to pay back if she uncovered any theft.

“It’s not true that you all have to receive K180 because households with disabled (beneficiaries) receive K360 and this is the reason I came to find out if we are doing the correct thing on the ground. I will find out where the other K180 went for the disabled and if I find someone wanting, then they have to pay back,” Phiri said.

She said PF was a pro-poor government as President Edgar Lungu’s aim was not to leave anyone behind in the area of development.

“President Edgar Lungu doesn’t want to leave anyone behind because the PF party is the party for the poor people and that is why the government of Edgar Lungu is giving monies to you so that your living standard is uplifted,” Phiri said.

She assured Social Cash Transfer beneficiaries that the programme would soon be back on track once the ministry sorted out some challenges.

“You have not been receiving monies just because our Ministry had some problems to which we are still trying to solve, and you will soon receive your monies as people doing that are coming currently are in Mambwe (District),” she said.

Phiri advised beneficiaries not to pay any official in relation to the government programme in response to reports that some beneficiaries provided chickens, while others paid K20 for them to be put on the payment list.

“These CWAC should not demand anything from you be it a chicken or K20! How can a poor person be charged to receive something, which their government has brought to them? I don’t think such issues the President will be happy,” said Phiri.

Earlier, Ministry of Community Development National Director Kennedy Mumbai explained that beneficiaries who were disabled in Sinda received K180 because they never went to the clinic or hospitals to receive medical forms about their disabilities.

“When I checked the data, I have been told that the disabled who should receive K180 did not because they never got the forms and have them approved by health personnel about their disabilities. I, therefore, call upon you, the disabled beneficiaries, to go in that way then you will see the system will change,” urged Mumba.

And one beneficiary Aliness Phiri told the Minister that payments usually took long periods of time, which disadvantaged recipients.

“The K180 monies are reaching us, but previously, we use to receive well but time came when between 4-6 months passes before we receive the monies and it has failed us to educate our children. So, we request that if possible, let the monies come as per promise of after two months,” appealed Aliness.

Meanwhile, District Commissioner Paradious Sakala urged beneficiaries to remain hard working in supporting the government of the day’s agenda.

“You are the people we depend on as you are farmers and also get involved in a lot of development activities, so ensure you hold this programme with both hands because its intended purpose is to eradicate poverty,” advised Sakala.