BENEFICIARIES of Pfumvudza and drought relief programmes should not be coerced into covering transport costs as it is Government’s responsibility to deliver grain and inputs to them, Manicaland Provincial Development Coordinator, Mr Edgars Seenza, has said.

He said those being asked to make such payments must report the cases to the police.

Mr Seenza’s comments come amid revelations that some unscrupulous Government workers in Chipinge and Chimanimani districts were conniving with transporters and village heads to demand US$1 or R20 from beneficiaries of the two programmes, yet that responsibility was being shouldered by the Government.

At least $118 million is being mobilised to transport inputs under the Climate-Proofed Presidential Inputs Programme, commonly known as Pfumvudza, from Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots.

Information gathered by The Manica Post showed that Agritex and Department of Social Welfare officials, truck drivers and village heads were charging unsuspecting beneficiaries in foreign currency for them to be included on the list of beneficiaries.

Proceeds are shared amongst members of the syndicates.-Manica Post