By KETRA KALUNGA
About 124 civil servants were paid grants in amounts totaling K325,000 meant for the vulnerable women under the ministry of Gender for the period 2017 to 2020, the Auditor General (AG) report has revealed.
The report explains that the criteria for disbursements of Grants to non-vulnerable women was for the poor and vulnerable.
However, 124 civil servants who were ineligible were paid grants in amounts under the project amounting to K325 000, the report have indicated.
And the report says amounts totaling K13,985 were paid for 24 girls that had dropped out of school for various reasons such as pregnancies, death, and marriage.
It also reveals that amounts totaling K69,247 were paid for 98 girls that were not known by the schools.
Further, although the ministry planned to keep 29,002 girls in school, as at 31st December 2020, only 13,514 girls were kept in school, says the report.
Non-school going girls paid for and maintained on keep girls in school database Section 1.3 (6) of the Project Implementation Manual of 2015 requires that funds are transferred to participating secondary schools on confirmation that beneficiary girls remain enrolled and were attending school.
Contrary to the guideline, amounts totaling K13,985 were paid 24 girls that had dropped out of school for various reasons such as pregnancies, death, and marriage.
As at 31st August 2021, the girls were still maintained on the databases as enrolled students, says the AG report.
Project Implementation Manual states that the supporting Women’s Livelihood activities should include the provision of a cash grant of K1,500 to each eligible 35 beneficiaries.
The grant was progressively revised to K2,500 and K2,700 during the project course as per Aide Memoire issued by World Bank.
A review of payment records revealed that 228 beneficiaries were overpaid by amounts totaling K268,350.
As at 30th June 2021, the funds had not been recovered, the report has revealed.
