Arex officers ‘divert’ inputs

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AGRICULTURAL Extension (Arex) officials in the Gaza area of Lupane East in Matabeleland North have been accused of diverting farming inputs and implements from the targeted beneficiaries to their own benefit.

AGRICULTURAL Extension (Arex) officials in the Gaza area of Lupane East in Matabeleland North have been accused of diverting farming inputs and implements from the targeted beneficiaries to their own benefit.

SILAS NKALA STAFF REPORTER

The farming inputs and implements were reportedly being supplied by the government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Arex officials are reportedly diverting the inputs to non-beneficiaries in the Gokwe area, where they get a tonne of maize from produce in exchange of each kit of the stolen inputs.

This emerged during Southern Eye’s visit to Gaza recently, where some disgruntled villagers expressed concern and disgust over what they described as daylight robbery perpetrated by government officials entrusted with the job of distributing farming inputs.

“Arex officials and other government officials based at Gaza business centre are taking advantage of the remoteness of this area to steal from the unsuspecting villagers,” a villager said on condition of anonymity, as he feared victimisation.

Villagers said recently, LEAD Trust, started a farming inputs and implements programme in Gaza, where beneficiaries received vouchers that were redeemable at local agro dealer shops.

The villagers alleged that a local Arex official, who is also an agro dealer, took advantage of villagers’ failure to raise the capital to access the inputs and used their names to access the vouchers, which he then converted to his personal use.

A source said some of the villagers were being bribed with at least $10 by the official so he could use their names in the scam.

“The vouchers are worth $160 and each farmer is supposed to raise $80, while the NGO pays the other $80,” another villager said.

The villagers said the scam had since come to light and authorities had since demanded that one of the Arex officials pays back the money he allegedly defrauded the scheme.

“This scandal has been so serious in that even the names and identity particulars of some dead people were registered for the vouchers to benefit the greedy officials,” a villager alleged, giving an example of one woman, a supposed beneficiary, who is reportedly late.

Contacted for comment, Matabeleland North chief agricultural research and technical services extension officer Dumisani Nyoni said he was aware of the voucher programme, but did not have details on the case in question.

“I might not be aware of the fraud case, but what I know is that there was an agro dealer that was providing the farming inputs voucher system,” he said.

“What I only heard is that there were farmers who had paid for the vouchers who were yet to get their implements and they might have received them in the past week.

“I advise villagers to report any fraudulent activities to the police and have the matter investigated.”

Local MP, Martin Khumalo, dismissed the claims of fraud as untrue.

“That is a lie,” he said. “Government officials are not able to interfere in the programmes of the NGOS, I do not see how Arex officials could have been able to do divert the inputs to other places.

“I have no information on the fraud in vouchers.”

An official at LEAD Trust, Eugene Khumalo, declined to comment on the issue.

“I am not able to comment or give information on that over the phone,” he said.

“You must come to our Lupane offices to be told about what is happening in the programme.”