TASAF programme OVER 25,000 households have been deleted from Tanzania
Social Action Fund’s (TASAF) Productive Social Safety Net (PSSN) programme
due to various reasons, including cheats.
Minister of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Governments), George
Simbachawene, told the National Assembly here yesterday that the programme that aimed at supporting
poor families was shrouded by many cheats and frauds.
Under the programme, TASAF extends financial supports to poor households that can hardly afford
essential social services like education and health care.
“Unfortunately, we had even teachers enlisted as beneficiaries of these grants,” said the minister, noting
that stern disciplinary measures have been taken against those behind the deceits.
He was answering a question by Sabreena Sungura (Special Seats - Chadema) who sought the
government intervention, charging that TASAF fund was benefiting the undeserved at the expense of the
targeted poor.
The minister said TASAF has already reviewed the list of registered households, with physical inspections
of the houses to ensure that only qualified poor households remain in the programme, describing the
verification exercise as sustainable and permanent.
As of May 30, 2016 all the 161 areas of the programme implementation in 159 councils of the mainland,
Unguja and Pemba were visited, with 25,446 households removed from the programme.
He said the programme that started in November 2013 has so far registered 1.1 million households,
which receive grants through transfers subject to meeting the criteria of sending children to schools and
clinics as well as participating in public works.
Mr Simbachawene however challenged the programme beneficiaries to strive to stand on their own,
saying the aid was not permanent but only a strategy to help them increase incomes and opportunities
while improving consumption.
