THE Government has agreed with both banks and shops on how
civil servants can use their US$75 monthly allowances and Government pensioners
their US$30 tax-free Covid-19 relief allowances, and the money has been
transferred to banks.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli
Ncube said the arrangements for bank accounts to be created and shops to be
able to receive payments were now in place, and that allowed the start of the
payment of the allowances.
Prof Ncube told the briefing after the Cabinet meeting that
the Government had since transferred the money to banks and civil servants and
Government pensioners should be able to use the money very soon.
“Yes the modalities for accessing the money have now been
put in place. Banks were supposed to come up with ways to open accounts; that
has been done, that was the first step.
“The second step was to make sure retailers are able to
receive payments for goods and services, so that has been put in place. Please
note that there has been progress and that allowance is tax-free as previously
announced and we will capture that in the Finance Bill,” said Prof Ncube.
There has been anxiety among civil servants after some of
them received messages from the banks notifying them about the US dollar
deposits but could not access the money because the modalities had not yet been
spelt out to both the banks and shops.
This was after the Government had indicated that the money
would not be withdrawn in physical notes, but through electronic cards that
would be used in shops.
Earlier on, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting
Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, said Cabinet received principles to
tighten the Copper Control Act owing to the upsurge in cases of vandalism and
theft of cables resulting in destruction of infrastructure at Zesa, TelOne and
National Railways Zimbabwe.
It was noted the vandalism not only led to loss of lives
due to accidents, but took a toll on the economy.
“The amendments seek to institute stiffer penalties in
order to curb the theft of copper and related products and thereby safeguard
the critical infrastructure.”
The minister said the amendment Bill will seek, among other
provisions, to criminalise: vandalism of equipment and theft of power
transmission cables; dealing in stolen copper; and all dealership without
possession of certificate of origin for all the copper they deal in. Penalties
will rise with the mandatory sentence for those found dealing illegally in
copper being 30 years.
She said Cabinet approved the Devolution and
Decentralisation Policy, as part of the formulation process for the National
Development Strategy for 2020-2025.
Minister Mutsvangwa said the policy establishes the
necessary conditions for provincial and rural district councils as well as
other lower-tier governance and administrative structures to exercise devolved
powers.
“The empowered sub-national entities will be supervised
through policies and Acts of Parliament which are consistent with the
Constitution. Consequently, some sections of the Constitution will be amended
and the enabling legislation aligned to the Constitution,” said Minister
Mutsvangwa. Herald
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