Building materials lie idle in Nkhata Bay

Project materials worth millions of kwacha are lying unused in Nkhata Bay North West Constituency apparently because they were procured without consultations with the area development committee (ADC).

The materials, bought in 2013, were intended for the construction of a maternity wing and a waiting room at Mzenga Health Centre in the constituency.

ADC chairperson Chantaya Phiri said the materials include 230 bags of cement, 120 iron sheets, door frames and timber.

“We have been following up with the council on what to do with the materials, mostly cement as currently 30 bags have expired, but the council is also in the dark on the materials. At the moment we do not know the source of the funding and how much the materials are worth,” he said.

Phiri said this on Thursday during a meeting the Church and Society Programme of the CCAP Synod of Livingstonia organised with duty bearers on promoting transparency and accountability in the local governance system.

He said since 2014, the ADC has been frequenting the district council on the way forward to no avail.

Nkhata Bay District Council development chairperson Raswell Chimoto, who is also councillor for Tchesamu Ward, said his office is also in the dark on the materials.

He said the situation was a challenge, adding that the council has not followed up on the cost of the materials.

Church and Society project officer Kolezi Phiri said his organisation has noticed that there is lack of coordination between stakeholders in implementing development projects. n