By Lloyd Jonathan
Minister of Local Government Unity and Culture Richard Chimwendo Banda has sounded the warning against Councils’ management over their underperformance in implementing various projects.
Chimwendo Banda sounded the warning a while ago during the on-going quarterly coordination meeting currently being held at Golden Peacock Hotel in Blantyre.
The Minister sounded the warning with reference to the three Councils which did not qualify to access resources in 2023/2024 financial year under the World Bank funded GESD programme, that issues Performance Based Grant cheques to Councils with outstanding performance.
Honourable Banda, who is in a company of his deputy Honourable Owen Chomanika, spanned his speech on issues such as laxity in implementing projects for the local people, corruption and abuse of funds as some of factors leading to Councils’ underperformance.
He then further warned that his administration does not want to see any Council fail to perform again this year.
Traditionally, the performance of councils are assessed annually to see how they are progressing in terms of executing development projects.
At least a total of nine councils have been recorded as the underperformers for the past three fiscal years according to the recent Local Authorities Assessment Report (LAPA).
The development according to Honourable Banda is a move that is denying people in the respective authorities their right to development.
Said Banda :”So far nine councils have failed to perform and they did not access the grant. I don’t want to hear that councils have failed to access the grant this year.
The song should not be repeated this year.”
Speaking further, Honourable Banda, who is also the leader of the House in Parliament issued a stern warning against the Councils’ controlling officers and council chairpersons over abuse of the Connstituency Development Fund (CDF).
“CDF is not for individuals.It is for poor people. …if you are not happy with the projects say that you don’t like the project. The performance of the Council will be judged by how you as the District Commissioner has performed. Councillors too should not force the DCs to what what they personally want to do.”
In February this year, Honourable Banda said his administration will ensure councils are executing development projects for the goodness of people in the country in line with the expectations of His Excellency President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera whose vision is to make Malawians prosper together in various sectors that include development.
Today’s meeting has drawn together District Commissioners and Council chairpersons from the Southern Region.
The aim of the meeting is to identify strategies that could help councils meet the aspirations in the Malawi Vision 2063 (M2063).
