Accounting officer’s resignation leaves storm victims stranded
2 min read
George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
Government has been urged to urgently deploy a new accounting officer to Mwenezi where storm victims at Chingwizi, Nuanetsi Ranch, are failing to access financial assistance from the State following the resignation of the district accounting officer.
Scores of families at Chingwizi were left homeless early this year after violent winds swept through the area, ravaging homes and property.
Government responded by providing $60 000 to ameliorate the plight of the victims, but up to now, some of them are still to receive assistance.
District Development Co-ordinator Ms Rosemary Chingwe confirmed some of the storm victims were yet to receive aid despite Government pouring $60 000 for them.
“There is still quite a sizeable number of families at Chingwizi who have not yet been paid their dues after Government extended financial assistance to those affected by violent winds that hit the area at the beginning of this year,” she said.
“The challenge was that some of the victims had not opened bank accounts when the money came, so the district accounting officer resigned before they were paid and since then our hands are tied because they cannot be paid in the absence of that official.’’
Ms Chingwe said Government should urgently deploy a replacement for the accounting officer.“
The only other alternative we have is to wait for another accounting officer to be deployed from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing provincial HQ in Masvingo, other than that there is no way those people will be paid anytime soon,” said Ms Chingwe.
Families at Chingwizi were resettled to the area after they were displaced by the giant Tugwi-Mukosi Dam which forced Government to relocate them from their ancestral land.
The plight of the families remains dire almost half-a decade after their relocation, as Chingwizi has no adequate infrastructure such as schools, roads and clinics.
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