By Andrew Salima
The President Lazarus Chakwera’s Government through the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Wellfare says is prepared to roll out electronic payment system to all 28 districts in the country during the disbursement of Social Cash Transfer Program (SCTP) and Cimate Smart Enhanced Public Works Program (CS-EPWP).
Speaking after district Executive Committee meeting in Chiradzulu on Monday, Chief Social Wellfare Officer from the Ministry of Gender, responsible for planning and monitoring SCTP and CS EPWP Innocent Phiri said the government has decided to introduce the e-payment system so as to reduce costs t that come when conducting disbursement operations.
“We intend to reach 20 districts this year and we hope to reach all 28 districts by next year with this e-transfer payment,” he said.
According to Phiri, e-payment system program has been successful in Thyolo, Balaka, Blantyre and Ntcheu hence the courage to expand it to other districts such as Chiradzulu, Nkhotakota and Kasungu.
In her remarks, Principal Social Wellfare for Chiradzulu district hailed the Ministry saying system will help them to reduce their budget with 80% approximately as it does not require more human resource, vehicles and police officers.
“As district, we welcome e-payment mode because it is going to shorten our work as with old system we took 6 days to disburse the money to beneficiaries but with this mode within a day the work will be done,” she said .
Meanwhile,the service provider for the e-payment system Airtel Malawi company has assured the government that it will make sure that fraud cases are not affecting disbursement as it has put measures for high security of the beneficiaries.
