Drought relief vouchers impress Mutorwa

NKURENKURU – Deputy Prime Minister John Mutorwa says he is impressed by the Commodity and Beneficiary Management Information System (CBMIS), which allows for the digitization of beneficiary data and the issuance of vouchers to them.

The vouchers are redeemed at contracted local retailers and beneficiaries collect their food parcels there.

“The transition to vouchers alleviates the administrative and logistical costs associated with the delivery, storage and distribution of food. It also minimizes the risk of theft and waste of drought relief products and promotes support for local economies in different localities as coupons are redeemed at local retailers,” Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said recently.

Currently, 2,276 people benefit through the bonus system. Talking to Kavango West leaders last week, Mutorwa was impressed by the progress made so far.

The Government is busy working on a pilot project to provide vouchers to drought relief beneficiaries to give them quicker access to their food parcels at nearby shops and cuca shops.

“I am very impressed with these leaders here, both politicians, technocrats and casual workers, who load and unload food to ensure it reaches the communities,” Mutorwa said.

During the visit he observed that the warehouse was empty, “not because there was no food, but because the food is where it matters.”

“It is with the beneficiaries, so I am very happy here. Of course not everything is in its place, that’s why we are on tour. This is a program for all of us, but so far so good. This truck is ready, they are loading to be able to deliver (the food), that’s what we want to see. We don’t want to be impressed with the warehouse full of bags, and then come the excuses of not transporting. (The warehouse) must be empty, people must say we received our food,’ she said during a visit to the Kavango West warehouse in Katwitwi village.

Mutorwa said although there may be challenges, the government should push to establish the voucher system where feasible.

During a meeting in Nkurenkuru, he warned that whatever is being tested must be done correctly and that consultations are important.

“But I like how it was explained. It is a pilot project and the principles we want to achieve are noble principles, cost reduction, a faster way to get food to communities and empowering local businesses. The principle is good, but more work needs to be done to perfect it, taking into account the practical conditions of our country,” he said.

The DPM noted that the program will be implemented in possible practical areas, where it will work without causing inconvenience. “But in areas where it is impossible for practical reasons, the government will find a way to achieve it. There are certain programs that the government does that reach every corner of the country, with or without transportation, and people always ask us how we do it well. I am referring to the electoral program. That is also why this project is very important,” she noted.

During Mutorwa’s visit, the regional council indicated that there were complaints about the quality of the maize flour.

“On the topic of the quality of corn flour, what I have to say is that this unsifted corn flour will be different from the one we buy in stores, the one we are used to consuming. The one we buy in stores is sifted corn flour.

The difference is that sifted corn flour is super refined, to the point that there are very few nutrients left in it,” said Helen Likando, director of disaster risk management at OPM, who accompanied the deputy prime minister.

“And when we feed people who are hungry and on the verge of malnutrition, we want to give them nutritious, unsifted foods to complement their nutritional components. But we will do tests to see if it is good for human consumption or not,’ he said.

In Kavango East, the warehouse was packed to the ceiling with drought relief food, a situation attributed to transport problems, including poor roads hampering food delivery.

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2024-05-06 Juan Muyamba