LEGISLATORS from Bulawayo have called on government to release funds to the Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare ministry to help the department’s efforts to assist vulnerable people in Zimbabwe.
Cowdry Park legislator Arthur Mujeyi (Zanu PF) said the delay in the disbursement of funds was affecting the ministry’s efforts to assist people in need.
Speaking in the National Assembly recently, Mujeyi said the Department of Social Welfare was facing serious operational challenges.
He said government must timeously release funds to the ministry as it runs vital programmes across the country.
“The ministry requested the funds, but the delay in release caused a delay in project completion. For instance, if we look at the Beam [Basic Education Assistance Module], the delay in funding Beam causes some challenges. As we hear, they are in arrears of about ZiG135 million and this is a lot of money,” he
said.
Mujeyi said the delay in the release of the funds affected the completion of projects .
“If you look at Beam again, there is about ZiG70 million from the first term to the second term and the third term. It has failed to release this money since 2024. The delay in the release of Beam funds compromises the running of the ministry,” he
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said.
Mujeyi said delays in releasing funds affected a lot of programmes undertaken by the ministry.
“We have witnessed a situation where, due to delays in funds, they have failed to pay for transport to reach rural areas where people are facing hunger,” he said.
Pumula legislator Sichelesile Mahlangu said delays in the release of funds had an effect on schools owed huge sums from the Beam programme.
“At hospitals, there is AMTO, which also gets money from social welfare, hence, delays have made patients unable to receive treatment,” she said.
