LILONGWE-(Maravi Post). Inadequate financial management training is contributing to ward councilors’ failure of their oversight roles in checking prudent utilization of public funds in district councils, Maravi Post can reveal. According to our investigations, this, has resulted into misappropriation of taxpayers’ money ending up in public officers’ personal pockets leaving the general public grasping for infrastructure development projects in various sectors including health, roads networks, education among others.
It has also been established that even though the ward councils are in place as previously needed in Malawi, public funds are still squandered immensely in district councils leaving the citizen with unanswered questions whether councilors are rely relevant to the current country’s economic situation to provide the oversight roles.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Maravi Post, Charles Kalemba, Blantyre District Commissioner (DC) expressed worrisome at the pace at which taxpayers monies are being misused by public officers saying ward councilors haven’t yet been schooled on comprehensive financial management training which could have been a leeway for an oversight role.
Kalemba observed that councilors lack formidable forum which could expose them to legal and economic tough bases on their work towards discreet usage of funds meant for developmental projects.
“The coming in of ward councilors was recipe for developmental projects in districts but what we see is the continued misuse of public funds by officers. Councilors haven’t been equipped with trainings on budget tracking but rather half baked trainings which are making them fail to play their oversight role on finances in district councils.
“Most ward councilors are far below on understanding of financial management issues which council officials have taken advantage of their incapability. The country needs skillful and workable councilors to complement government efforts of enshrining developmental projects otherwise the nation will continue loosing hard-earned public funds,” said Kalemba.
Maravi Post has learnt that it is against this background the Malawi Local Government Association (Malga), a grouping of councilors with funding from European Union (EU) is embarking on the project titled, “Promoting the demand and supply of transformational local governance in Malawi”, with the expectation for ward councilors to play an oversight role in budgeting, development planning and public expenditure at the end of the day.
About 420 councilors in six district councils including Mberwa, Mulanje, Kasungu, Zomba, Lilongwe and Blantyre are the key beneficiaries of the two year project worthy 333,000 Euro.
“Malga is aware of the knowledge gap among ward councilors on social-economic governance skills which has led them being unable playing their oversight roles towards local councils funds usage. With little trainings provided so far hasn’t helped much to fill the gap hence still witnessing financial fraud.
“Through this initiative, expectation is high that budget and expenditure tracking will be followed up perfectly in district councils. With also provision of the motor bikes loans, councilors work will be easier than before. Meanwhile, another critical issue tensing up Malga is on minimal qualification for ward councilors as some quarters of the society arent satisfied with the current qualification. Therefore,we plan to explore more that come next election there be a bench mark for whoever want to take these seats ”, discloses Samson Chaziya, Malga’s President.