ENUMERATORS for the upcoming national census are becoming increasingly restless after the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) failed to pay their allowances on time, a development that may jeopardise the process.
According to some enumerators, promises for advance payments were made on registration day for the 2022 Population and Housing census exercise scheduled for April 21-30 but no payment has been done to date.
“We have been waiting for our advance payments before we embark on the job but since we were trained, nothing has been deposited in our accounts as promised,” an enumerator said.
“We were told that the money was deposited in our accounts early last week and we have been making balance inquiries daily. No explanation has been given to us on the delays,” the enumerator said.
Another enumerator from Mashonaland East province told said they were asked to claim their money in United States dollars but they are going to receive the money in local currency.
“We do not know whether we are being duped or not. Why would I claim the money in USDs and then receive it in Zimdollar? Something is not adding up,” the enumerator said.
40 000 enumerators and 7 000 supervisors were trained to undertake the exercise.
ZimStat director-general Taguma Mahonde attributed the delay in payments to “logistical problems”.
“The payment processes have started. Those who are not on Public Service Commission salary services bureau (SSB) will start receiving their money tomorrow (Tuesday). Due to the Easter and Independence holidays, the process of transferring money from one bank account to another was not functional. Those that are on SSB will require a day or more to receive their money. We are seized with the matter,” Mahonde said.
“The current government allowances were pegged in US dollars but are paid at auction rate. For any civil servant, that should not be new because the government has released circulars on payment of those allowances. That is how the circular operates,” Mahonde added.
Source : AllAfrica.com
