Chitipa moves to boost trade, tourism
Chitipa District Council has unveiled plans to boost trade and tourism to increase the council’s revenue base and facilitate other development projects in the district.
The council’s director of planning and development McMillan Magomero said this at the weekend at a press briefing organised by the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) of the Karonga Diocese.
The briefing was aimed at providing the council with a platform to account for how it has utilised public resources such as District Development Fund, Constituency Development Fund and local revenue collected in the 2019/20 financial year.
Magomero said, among others, the funds were used to construct school blocks at Kameramphande and Titi primary schools as well as building timber-decked bridges at Kaliya, Ifumbo, and Naching’anda.
“Although major developmental projects are implemented by the central government, the council has also instituted construction of a road from Kapoka to Chendo and construction of a market shed at Mbilima Border which will greatly boost cross-border trade,” he said.
Magomero also said the council is working towards improving road network to tourist attraction areas like Misuku Hills, Mafinga Hills and Nyika National Park.
On his part, CCJP project officer (Chitipa) Moses Mwakisalu commended the district council officials for agreeing to hold the briefing, saying the people have a right to know how their taxes are utilised by local councils.
CCJP is implementing a three-year Citizen Action in Local Government Accountability project aimed at improving transparency and accountability in the management of local government resources in district councils.
