DoDMA irked by abuse of cash transfers
Disaster Management authorities are warning community leaders against corruption in the distribution of cash transfers and relief food.
The Department of Disaster Management Affairs-DODMA is currently reaching out to beneficiaries under the Lean Season Food Insecurity Response Programme.
The Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee-MVAC projected that 3.8 million people are food insecure this year.
Writing on DODMA Facebook Page, Commissioner for Disaster Management Affairs Charles Kalemba explains that maize rations and cash will support the targeted households for a certain period of time.
Kalemba warned that DoDMA will not condone lawlessness and abuse of relief items meant for vulnerable people.
“The investigations that were done in conjunction with WFP established that there were ghost beneficiaries in the beneficiary’s registry which resulted in intended beneficiaries to be left out. It was also established that some chiefs and councilors force beneficiaries to share what they receive with them.
“Government is going to take stern actions to bring to book anyone found abusing the two exercises and the police should not spare anyone found practicing these malpractices,” he said.
Earlier, World Food Program (WFP)Vision Malawi suspended the cash transfer exercise in Balaka, Chikwawa and Phalombe districts over claims of ghost beneficiaries in the registry.
It was also established that some chiefs and councillors forced beneficiaries to share with them, what they received.
Meanwhile, the department and other stakeholders are putting in place mechanisms that will empower communities to be self-reliant and food secure.
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