Wattle Company fails to settle debts
DOWNSIZING of operations by Wattle Company has stalled progress for some projects in Chimanimani district, as the company is reportedly failing to settle debts with women groups.
The groups are now said to be struggling to repay loans advanced by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development.
This emerged from the report made by the Portfolio Committee on Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development on the Women Development Fund (WDF), which was presented in Parliament on Wednesday by chairperson Cde Beatrice Nyamupinga.
“The committee was further dismayed that the WDF repayment status in most provinces is critically low, except in Masvingo and Midlands provinces.
“Documents submitted to the committee as well as submissions made during the fact finding exercise reveal the following; WDF repayment rate in the following provinces, Masvingo 80 percent, Midlands 60 percent, Mashonaland East was 45 percent, Matabeleland North 29 percent and Matabeleland South Province 24 percent.
“The committee was further concerned that the ministry was not doing enough to recover the loan from the women groups, except receiving payment plans and rescheduling of the repayment plans as reported to the committee in Chimanimani and Marondera districts.
“In Chimanimani, the committee was informed by one group that it was no longer able to repay its loan, because it was also owed $8 000 by Wattle Company, which had also folded its operations,” said Cde Nyamupinga in the report.
She said the committee was greatly concerned about the failure by the ministry to engage Wattle Company and help women’s groups.
The committee also noted the ministry was finding it difficult to monitor the women’s groups.
“Your committee observed that the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development is severely incapacitated to effectively monitor women’s projects at grassroots level by the shortage of ward development coordinators.”
The committee, among all its recommendations, said the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development should urgently boost its resources allocation towards the WDF, especially increasing provision for ward development coordinators and vehicles.
It said this would go a long way in ensuring that the projects were properly monitored and evaluated.