HARARE - The National Social Security Authority (Nssa) has released $15 million dollars to urban local authorities, in response to government appeals for an emergency response to avert the risk of an outbreak of cholera and typhoid in urban areas.

The appeal was made last month by Local Government, Urban and Rural Development Minister Ignatius Chombo to Labour and Social Services minister Paurina Mpariwa, who in turn asked Nssa to consider providing a $15 million line of credit to local authorities facing difficulties in providing sustainable service.

Nssa last month provided Met Bank with an initial $5 million for on-lending to local authorities.

The remaining $10 million will be made available over a period of two months, that is, January and February 2013.

Nssa general manager James Matiza said that in agreeing to provide finance for local authorities, Nssa had taken into consideration the urgency of the appeal from Chombo, which was supported by the ministry of Labour and Social Services, Nssa’s parent ministry, and the dire consequences that an outbreak of typhoid or cholera in urban residential areas could have on the country’s urban populations. - Staff Writer