Council awards revenue collectors

District Council last week gave Chikhwawa Boma, Ngwenya and Makande revenue collection sub offices K80 000 (about $266), K60 00 (about $200) and K40 000 (about $133), respectively, as a token of appreciation for collecting more money.

Chikhwawa district commissioner Felix Mkandawire urged others to emulate the example set by the three offices.

“Chikhwawa district council revenue generation has been increasing by almost 20 percent annually since 2009/2010.

“For the 2011/2012 financial year, we revised our local budget from K20.5 million (about $69 000) to K25.6 million (about $84 000).

“And our end of year revenue report shows that the council collected K31.87 million [about $106 000]. This is why today, we are awarding revenue collectors who have done us pride,” he said.

Mkandawire said the council, among other things, plans to rehabilitate Nchalo Rest House, construct Dyeratu Market and fence Chikhwawa community ground to further boost its revenue collection.

He said the council was able to meet its target because it organises campaigns, senstising people to the importance of paying licences. Senior Chief Chapananga who also attended the meeting pledged to support the council’s drive to collect more money.

Membership of the Local Government Finance Committee

The membership of the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) is as follows:

1) A representative of the Malawi Electoral Commission

2) The chairperson of the Civil Service Commission and Rural Development

3) The secretary for Local Government

4) The secretary to the Treasury

5) A representative of Local Government Authorities

6) An independent professional accountant

The committee co-opted a representative from the National Audit Office and the Accountant General to help it.

The committee was set up in July 2001 and is serviced by a secretariat which was set up in October 2001.

Functional structure

The committee is serviced by a secretariat headed by the executive secretary. The secretariat has two broad divisions: the council finance management services and finance and administration.

The council finance management services division represents the functional link of the NLGFC and the councils.

It has two sections: the planning and economic services and finance monitoring and evaluation sections.

The planning and services section looks at local authority (LA) budgeting, resource allocation and revenue mobilisation.

It also looks at LA planning in relation to the budget and collaborates with Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLG&RD).

The finance and monitoring and evaluation section works with councils in the areas of accounting, financial management, resource utilisation and financial systems development.

The finance and administration division is a support wing of the NLGFC. It also manages the LA payroll system.

Working relationship with councils

The main areas of interaction with councils include:

i) Budgeting

ii) Accounting and finance management

iii) Resource allocation

iv) An independent professional accountant