Government owes service providers – YEA CEO, promises payment in days  

Mr Malik Basintale, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), has acknowledged that the government owes service providers and beneficiaries, citing challenges with funding allocations for assemblies.  

“We are owing. I mean, when you owe someone, you must admit that I owe you, and then you say I’m apologizing. I believe you give me time to pay,” the CEO said.  

According to him, the issue arose from a decision to send 80 per cent of the Common Fund to assemblies for development, causing a struggle with the formula.   

Appearing before the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) public hearing on Friday, in Parliament House, Mr Basintale assured the Committee that efforts were being made to rectify the situation and ensure proper payment processes moving forward.  

“Madam Chairperson, we look forward to paying in the coming days,” he added.  

On contract management, the Acting CEO emphasized the importance of transparency and fairness in the tender processes, saying that “Future contracts will ensure that sanitation is properly done and beneficiaries are properly paid,” he told the Committee.  

Regarding Zoomlion’s potential reengagement, Mr Basintale clarified that the decision lay with the tender evaluation committee.   

“I’m not the man of that committee. So, I cannot tell whether at the end of the evaluation they can win a contract or not,” he explained.  

The Acting CEO also highlighted efforts to ensure accountability and transparency in payments to beneficiaries, including audits and validation processes to verify eligibility and prevent misuse of taxpayer money.  

“Madam Chair, we’ve got a real number of persons on the ground… Those who were validated can confirm that as of this morning their money has trickled in and they’ve received two months,” he said.  

According to him, the commitment to fairness and transparency in contract management and payment structures aimed to address the challenges and ensure that beneficiaries were adequately compensated for their work.  

Source: GNA  

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