Emergency Management Unit to get tough on aid defaulters

THE Emergency Management Unit is to cancel the contracts of companies who have failed to honour their commitment to supply drought food aid.

Instead they plan to use the money to cover the funding shortfall of the drought aid scheme. Cabinet announced that it had deliberated on the report on the implementation of the 2003-04 scheme at its meeting on August 24.A statement from Cabinet Chambers said Cabinet had given permission for Regional Councils which still have food in their warehouses to continue distributing aid.The programme came to an end in May, but delays in delivery of goods and storage problems prolonged the programme in some regions.The value of the contracts to be cancelled is more than N$22,2 million, while about N$23,4 million is needed to cover the shortfall from outstanding commitments as of July 2004.Cabinet accepted a recommendation that more staff be employed on a contract basis at the regional offices during the implementation of emergency programmes.Cabinet also mandated the Office of the Prime Minister to come up with long-term solutions for staffing problems at the EMU.In addition, the Ministry of Finance has been directed to make N$2,3 million available for the transport and demurrage of donated rice and wheat from India, as well as yellow maize grain from China.The 5 000 metric tons of rice will be distributed to the most vulnerable groups.During the 2003-04 drought aid programme, some 38 958 tons of food was distributed to 642 539 people.Major problems identified were inadequate transport, lack of staff and the limited capacity of regional warehouses.A shortage of storage space especially affected the implementation of the scheme in the Oshikoto Region.Cabinet announced that it had deliberated on the report on the implementation of the 2003-04 scheme at its meeting on August 24.A statement from Cabinet Chambers said Cabinet had given permission for Regional Councils which still have food in their warehouses to continue distributing aid.The programme came to an end in May, but delays in delivery of goods and storage problems prolonged the programme in some regions.The value of the contracts to be cancelled is more than N$22,2 million, while about N$23,4 million is needed to cover the shortfall from outstanding commitments as of July 2004.Cabinet accepted a recommendation that more staff be employed on a contract basis at the regional offices during the implementation of emergency programmes.Cabinet also mandated the Office of the Prime Minister to come up with long-term solutions for staffing problems at the EMU.In addition, the Ministry of Finance has been directed to make N$2,3 million available for the transport and demurrage of donated rice and wheat from India, as well as yellow maize grain from China.The 5 000 metric tons of rice will be distributed to the most vulnerable groups.During the 2003-04 drought aid programme, some 38 958 tons of food was distributed to 642 539 people.Major problems identified were inadequate transport, lack of staff and the limited capacity of regional warehouses.A shortage of storage space especially affected the implementation of the scheme in the Oshikoto Region.