CHIRUNDU District Commissioner Patrick Kasambila says Republican President Mr. Hakainde Hichilema is determined to address the high poverty levels in the country that has over the years remained a major challenge.
Mr Kasambila said President Hichilema’s administration has enhanced efforts to eradicate the high poverty levels among the citizenry as evident by the formulation of various social protection programmes and policies.
The Chirundu District Commissioner has cited the National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) as the blueprint for tackling the problem and other social ills affecting the people.
The Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) reports that Mr Kasambila said this when Chirundu District Social Welfare Officer, Charity Tembo briefed him on the dissolution and reconstitution of the Community Welfare Assistance Committees (CWACs) across the country.
The Chirundu District Commissioner explained that the policy was developed as a roadmap for interventions aimed at reducing the suffering of the vulnerable groups in the communities who live happier lives as well.
The enhanced Social Cash Transfer (eSCT) and the implementation of the one-year Drought Response – Emergency Cash Transfer (DR-ECT) programmes sit under the Social Assistance Pillar of the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP).
The two SCT programmes under the Department of Social Welfare are aimed at reducing extreme poverty and eradicating intergenerational transfer of poverty in affected households covered by the programme.
Earlier, Chirundu District Social Welfare Officer, Charity Tembo said following the dissolution of Community Welfare Assistance Committees (CWACs) across the country, the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS) will conduct fresh elections.
Mrs Tembo said the elections will usher in new CWAC members in a transparent and inclusive manner through the participation of the community and local leaderships across the district.
The Chirundu District Social Welfare Officer stated that the Ministry has guided the holding of elections for the CWAC members in the respective communities in all the 116 districts across the country.
The guidelines and protocol further outline government agencies that will facilitate the exercise as guided by the Social Cash Transfer programme guidelines.
The protocol will ensure that the programme implementers use a unified and consistent approach to strategically operationalise the CWAC election process and also help maintain consistency across all the 116 districts.
Mrs Tembo therefore advised those aspiring to be CWAC members to be non-Partisan and should know that being a CWAC member is on a voluntary basis and will serve for three years after which fresh elections will be held.
