Ministry of Community Development and Social Services Permanent Secretary Rev. Dr. Howard Sikwela Monday 21ST AUGUST, 2017 SCT-ZAMPOST speech
PERMANENT SECRETARY FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL SERVICES, REV. DR. HOWARD SIKWELA and ZAMPOST Post Master General Macpherson Chanda AT THE SIGNING CEREMONY OF THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER (SCT) ZAMPOST PAYMENT SYSTEM OF THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAMME HELD AT PAMODZI HOTEL – Picture by Derrick Sinjela/Zambian Developmental Media Alliance (ZADEMA)
AT THE SIGNING CEREMONY OF THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER (SCT) ZAMPOST PAYMENT SYSTEM OF THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAMME HELD AT PAMODZI HOTEL
Monday 21ST AUGUST, 2017
THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE, REPRESENTATIVE, THE POST MASTER GENERAL, THE ZAMPOST DELEGATES, THE COOPERATING PARTNERS PRESENT, DIRECTORS PRESENT, SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PRESENT, MEMBERS OF THE PRESS, MAY I SIMPLY SAY LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I AM HONOURED AND DELIGHTED TO OFFICIATE AT THIS SIGNING CEREMONY OF THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER ZAMPOST PAYMENT PARTNERSHIP FOR THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAMME. MY MINISTRY IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT THE CASH TRANSFERS PAYMENTS TO THE VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES ARE SAFE AND SECURE AND REACH THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES. INVITED GUESTS,
ERADICATING POVERTY IN ALL ITS FORMS AND DIMENSIONS, INCLUDING EXTREME POVERTY, IS ON THE GOVERNMENT’S AGENDA AND MY MINISTRY IS COMMITTED TO SHIFT THE PATH OF OUR PEOPLE FROM POVERTY TO A PROGRESSIVE, SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT PATHTO PROSPERITY. TO DEMONSTRATE THIS COMMITMENT, THE PATRIOTIC FRONT GOVERNMENT HAS UNPRECEDENTEDLY AND CONTIONUSLY INCREASED FUNDING TO THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAMME.
IN THE 2017 BUDGET ALONE, GOVERNMENT INCREASED THE BUDGETARY ALLOCATION TO THE PROGRAMME FROM K302 MILLION IN 2016 TO K736 MILLION IN 2017. AS SUCH, THE NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE FROM 242,000 HOUSEHOLDS IN 2016 TO 590,000 HOUSEHOLDS IN 2017 IN ALL THE DISTRICTS ACROSS THE TEN PROVINCES.
THE TRANSFER VALUE FOR THE BENEFICIARIES HAS ALSO BEEN INCREASED FROM K70 PER MONTH WHICH THEY RECEIVE ON A BIMONTHLY BASIS, TO K90 PER MONTHWHICH COMES TO K180 PER BI MONTHLY FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITHOUT A MEMBER WITH DISABILITY, AND K360 FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITH A MEMBER WITH DISABILITY. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THE MINISTRY HAS BEEN MAKING PAYMENTS TO THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER BENEFICIARIES MANUALLY USING PAY POINT MANAGERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES WHICH HAS BEEN AT A GREAT RISK AND COST. IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE RISK, GOVERNMENT IS ENGAGING INTO PARTNERSHIP WITH KEY RELIABLE INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE SECURE AND PROVIDE MODERN PAYMENT SOLUTIONS.
NOT SO LONG AGO WE SAW THE COMING ON BOARD OF ZANACO PLC TO PROVIDE THE VULNERABLEPERSONS WITH A MODERN PAYMENT SOLUTION FOR ACCESSING THEIR CASH TRANSFERS. TODAY WE BRING ON BOARD THE ZAMBIA POSTAL SERVICES CORPORATION WHO WILL PROVIDE A PAYMENT SOLUTION TO THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER BENEFICIARIES IN LUAPULA AND WESTERN PROVINCES. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
YOU MAY WISH TO NOTE THAT THE BULK OF HOUSEHOLDS AND INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF BASIC SUPPORT ARE HEADED BY THE ELDERLY, WIDOWED AND THE DISABLED PERSONS. THEREFORE, THE PURPOSE OF THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAMME IS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE MOST VULNERABLE AND INCAPACITATED HOUSEHOLDS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THEIR STANDARDS OF LIVING AS WELL AS FIGHTING THE INTER-GENERATIONAL TRANSFER OF POVERTY. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
WITH THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER, BENEFICIARIES ARE ABLE TO AFFORD MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER DAY, SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, IMPROVE THEIR PURCHASING POWER AND BE ABLE TO ACCESS OTHER BASIC SERVICES SUCH AS HEALTH, EDUCATION AND DECENT SHELTER. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
THE NEW PAYMENT MECHANISM WITH ZAMPOST IS ANOTHER MEASURE THAT THE MINISTRY HAS PUT IN PLACE WHICH IS AIMED AT HELPING REDUCE THE FIDUCIARY RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MANUAL PAYMENT SYSTEM. IT IS EXPECTED THAT ABOUT 27 DISTRICTS, COVERING OVER 100,000 BENEFICIARIES, WILL HAVE PAYMENTS MADE TO THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER BENEFICIARIES THROUGH THIS INNOVATIONARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN IMPLEMENTING THE NEW SYSTEM IN THIS CYCLE. DISTINGUISHED GUESTS,
GOVERNMENT HAS CONTINUED TO ENGAGE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS WITH INNOVATIVE AND MODERN WAYS OF REACHING ITS TARGET POPULATION. IAM DELIGHTED THAT THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAMME IS DRAWING THE ATTENTION OF THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
AS A PARTNER IN THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAMME, THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA IN LUAPULA AND WESTERN PROVINCES WILL NOW BE ABLE TO ENJOY NOT ONLY THE PAYMENT SERVICE FOR THE PROGRAMME BUT OTHER SERVICES SUCH AS POSTAL, COMMUNICATION AND OTHER FINANCIAL SERVICES CLOSER TO THEIR COMMUNITIES. THIS, IN ESSENCE, IS HELPING US TAKE DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
ALLOW ME TO THEREFORE, EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO ZAMPOST FOR PARTNERING WITH GOVERNMENT IN MAKING THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAMME EFFICIENT IN SERVICE DELIVERY. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
WE ARE AWARE THAT THERE WILL BE SPECIAL CASES WHERE GOVERNMENT HAS TO PROVIDE OTHER COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS TO MAKE PAYMENTS TO THE BENEFICIARIES MUCH EASIER. GOVERNMENT WILL NOT HESITATE IN DEVISING SUCH MECHANISMS TO ENSURE THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE PROVIDED WITH A GOOD SERVICE.
THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER ZAMPOST PAYMENT SYSTEM IS A SAFE, SECURE AND RELIABLE WAY OF REACHING THE BENEFICIARIES. WITH THIS ENGAGEMENT, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ENGAGE NOT ONLY THE BENEFICIARIES BUT THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. WE MUST COMMUNICATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INNOVATIONS THAT WE UNDERTAKE AND ENCOURAGE OUR BENEFICIARIES TO MAKE FULL USE OF THE NEW SERVICES BEING PROVIDED.
THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAMME TRANSFORMS LIVES AND WE WANT TO SEE CHANGE IN THE LIVES OF THE BENEFICIARIES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES.
IT IS NOW MY HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE, TO ANNOUNCE THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE SIGNING OF THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER ZAMPOST PAYMENT SYSTEM CONTRACT. I WISH YOU ALL GOD’S BLESSINGS. I THANK YOU
Ministry of Community Development and Social Services Permanent Secretary Rev. Dr. Howard Sikwela Speech on Monday 21ST AUGUST, 2017 AT THE SIGNING CEREMONY OF THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER (SCT) ZAMPOST PAYMENT SYSTEM OF THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAMME HELD AT Taj PAMODZI HOTEL.
