By Newman Anthony Levey in Bo
The government’s cash transfer scheme implemented by the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) is once again on the spotlight with allegations of corruption.
Some people in the southern Bo district have alleged that the actual beneficiaries of the scheme are not receiving the money as was planned.
At least three people who claimed they are eligible to benefit from the cash transfer told Politico that they were not even registered. One of them said they saw people who didn’t residing in their community registered on the pretext that they resided there.
The current cash transfer scheme targets people from vulnerable backgrounds and who have been affected economically by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under this emergency COVID-19 cash transfer scheme, a total of US$4 million will be distributed to 29, 000 beneficiaries across the country.
Each person is supposed to receive Le1, 309, 000 (One million three hundred and nine thousand Leones).
The beneficiaries include maids who worked in restaurants and hotels, petty traders, etc.
Fatmata Kallon, a petty trader in Kandeyeila Section in Bo, said when the registration was being done in her community, she enquired and no one provided answers to her enquiries.
“They just gave me a petty comment, even though I knew we should all benefit from this money,” she told Politico.
Mamie Mustapha, another petty trader in the same area, was also not registered. She however believe someone was used to impersonate her.
“One lady came and sat at my veranda and called one woman to come and collect money. I asked the lady and she told me that she is from Freetown and this is the house number that is on her list and she came to see the woman residing there. And I told her that this person is not residing here, that I am the one residing in this house,” she narrated.
The issue led to serious confusion in the area and was reported to the nearby Police station.
Rebecca Sesay, who is also residing in the same community, said: "We did not benefit but people came from far away communities to collect money in our own community.”
The concerns have raised questions about who are the actual beneficiaries of a scheme that is supposed to cater for people like Rebecca, Mamie and Fatmata.
But these women are not just the ones complaining.
Ahmed Kamara, Secretary General for the Hotel Association in the Southern Region, said they weren’t consulted to put names forward of any potential beneficiaries.
People in the hospitality industry are supposed to be one of the beneficiaries of the scheme, as many of them lost their jobs due to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We have not been asked by either NaCSA nor the [City] council to send any list to them and our members did not benefit,” Kamara said.
NaCSA’s cash transfer scheme has come under the spotlight in recent weeks after allegations of corruption during a disbursement exercise in Bombali district last month.
The involvement of counterpart organizations like the Anti-Corruption Commission, Statistics Sierra Leone, and Rokel Commercial Bank was meant to prevent corruption.
The Director of Field Operation at NACSA, Catherine Sillah, told Politico that registration has be done and selected beneficiaries were approved through the use of a software known as the Open Data Kit.
She also said stakeholders like market unions, cinema owners and different set of affected businesses also submitted names of potential beneficiaries, adding that NaCSA didn’t have anything to do with the final list.
Sillah said: “When we go to every community, Statics Sierra Leone officials will first do an LPMT; it is a proxy test to understand the person’s vulnerability. After this, a NaCSA person will now do the other test on the phone - then you will see your score.”
“We have a threshold for selection of beneficiaries, and that depends on your score. We show people whether they have passed or not. After that, we give them a slip that they will take to Rokel Commercial Bank for payment,” she added.
Responding to the situation of Rebecca, Fatmata and Mamie, Madam Sillah said: “This is not for everyone. Out of thousands of businesses, restaurants and hotels, we won’t be able to target everyone. This is the fact. And secondly, none of our team handles money to pay. Rokel Commercial Bank is our service provider. All we do is to take your information.”
When confronted with some of the questions around the scheme, a spokesperson for the ACC, Success Sei Kamara, who was also in Bo last week, said they would be keenly monitoring the process right through the end. He added that they had noted these concerns and would look in to them.
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