Some village heads either don’t have a bank account or keep accounts that have been dormant, thus leading to delays of their payments.
Ministry of iTaukei Affairs permanent secretary Pita Tagicakirewa said the lack of familiarity with digital payment systems such as M-PAisa or MyCash among some village heads was a hurdle for the ministry.
Mr Tagicakirewa said the ministry had introduced the digital platforms for payments, “however, this transition has not been without its challenges”.
“A considerable number of village heads are located in remote areas, which makes it difficult for them to access our services efficiently,” he said.
“In addition, the reporting form itself is quite comprehensive, requiring a significant amount of detailed information, which can be overwhelming for some.”
To address this, Mr Tagicakirewa said the ministry would organise a workshop next week to review and simplify the village heads’ reporting form.
“We are committed to making this process more streamlined and accessible,” he said.
By the next quarter, he said the ministry anticipated significant improvements in the village heads’ submission process and overall efficiency.
