The National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) has suspended payment of Social Safety Net (SSN) with immediate effect.

This suspension came after stakeholders commenced full payment to beneficiaries in ten districts but ran into difficulties caused by some technical issues including systems used by the payment service provider in processing and delivering payments.

According to the commission, an agreed date of commencement will be duly communicated as the commission and it partners are working tirelessly to ensure the issues are addressed before the commencement of payment.

The commission apologized to affected individuals and also cautioned them that no one should offer or pay anything to be paid.

The commission called on the public to report any attempted extortion or corrupt practice to the Anti-Corruption Commission.

NaCSA, together with the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security (MELSS) and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), earlier this year, completed a nationwide registration, targeting and enrolment of the aged (age 70 years and above) beneficiaries of the SSN project. The overall aim of the exercise was to have an accurate database of the aged and provide cash support to the aged population and provide cash support.

A total of 11,606 aged were verified targeted and enrolled in the 10 districts of Bo, Bombali, Kambia, Koinadugu, Port-Loko. Tonkolili, Kailahun, Kano, Moyamba and Bonthe. NaCSA and MELSS piloted the digital payment system in the districts of Bo, Kambia, and Bonthe with cash delivered by Orange Money Finance SL (OMFSL). The trial payment was successful and efficient with few documented issues.

Beneficiaries of the SSN for the Aged will receive two tranches of US$45 (i.e. US$90 in total) Leones equivalent on date of transfer. On that note, the current tranche of payment to the 11,606 is NLe 1047 (One Thousand and forty-seven Leones) inclusive of cash-out fees of NLe30 contrary to the sum of NLe2,660 as. erroneously contained on the enrolement certificates issued to the beneficiaries.