Wrong beneficiaries pocket Tasaf money

URBAN EPIMARK in Dodoma

THE government has ordered the suspension of local authorities' officials who facilitated the registration and payment of unqualified households under the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) programme, which normally assists families living in extreme poverty.

The Minister of State, President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government, Mr George Simbachawene, told journalists here yesterday that the officials should be suspended to give way to investigation over the allegations.

He said that the regional and district commissioners as well as executive directors at local authorities should oversee the implementation of the directives and ensure that the money paid to unqualified households is paid back to allow the government to accomplish its mission of eradicating poverty.

"You should oversee the implementation of these directives and submit the report to the government within 14 days from today," he said.

Mr Simbachawene added that, the government will not tolerate any person who was involved in registering and paying unqualified beneficiaries because the act has affected its efforts of helping poor households to improve their livelihoods.

He further said that in the past six months a total of 11,370 unqualified households were paid money under the TASAF programme.

Dar es Salaam Region is leading by having 2,929 unqualified beneficiaries followed by Kilimanjaro with 1,484, Morogoro 793 and Dodoma 482. Minister Simbachawene, however, could not disclose the amount of money which has been so far paid to unqualified households as the respective authorities were still working to establish it.

Meanwhile, the minister also challenged the local authorities in the country to ensure that they build capacity to its executives by allowing them to undergo training at the Local Government Training Institute (LGTI) at Hombolo to acquire appropriate skills of running local government activities.