Covid-19: Mozambican civil society criticises management of funds made available by international partners – Watch

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Covid-19: Mozambican civil society criticises management of funds made available by international partners – Watch

5:38 CAT | 21 Dec 2020

Photo: Miramar

Mozambique’s Budget Monitoring Forum (FMO) has criticised the government’s management of funds channelled by international partners in support of strategies to combat Covid-19 in Mozambique, warning of disproportionality in their distribution across the country.

“More than 80% of the money was used in the capital (Maputo City), and less than 20% went to other provinces. And of the money that went to the provinces, 80% went to pay salaries,” says Adriano Nuvunga, coordinator of the FMO, a platform that brings together several Mozambican civil society organisations.

On March 23, the Mozambican government asked international partners for a total of US$700 million (€572 million) to cover the 2020 State Budget deficit caused by the pandemic, and to finance the fight against the disease and support the poorest.

According to official figures disclosed in October, of the amount requested, at least US$458 million (about €374 million) had already been made available, about 70% of which was disbursed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In response to concern about the disproportionality in the distribution of funds across the country, the Ministry of Health said that the amount allocated to the city of Maputo was justified by the fact that most of the material needed in response to Covid-19 is purchased at central level.

“We are talking about a new pathology where the acquisition of drugs, protective equipment and tests is carried out at central level for later distribution by the provinces,” deputy director of the Centre of Medicines and Medical Articles (CMAM) at the Ministry of Health Sérgio Ceni told TV channel STV.

The Budget Monitoring Forum feels support was poorly managed by the Mozambican executive, which, in addition to a disproportionate distribution across the provinces, did not give priority to social protection.

“The social protection sector received only 9% of all the money that was made available. This means that the money did not go to Mozambican families,” said Adriano Nuvunga, who also criticises the option for direct awards adopted by the government during the pandemic period.

“The money was, in fact, for companies which have connections with the directors, through direct awards,” the activist stressed , adding that there were grounds for intervention by the Mozambican Attorney General (PGR).

The FMO’s preliminary report, just over 50 pages in length, is entitled “Analysis of Public Procurement”, and is issued within the framework of a Covid response initiative which aims to ensure that the support that the country is receiving in the face of the pandemic “really reaches those most in need”.