CSOs decry poor access to information
Some civil society organisations (CSOs) have decried lack of access to information at district level, saying it is affecting the implementation of development projects at grass-root level.
Speaking in Lilongwe on Tuesday during a meeting organised by National Democratic Institute (NDI) with funding from United Kingdom Department for International Development (DfID), the CSOs said many district councils refuse to release information about public expenditure.
National Elections Systems Trust (Nest) programmes officer, Odreck Kathamalo, said CSOs face challenges in accessing information from district councils.
“Our implementation for development projects are meeting challenges because of lack of information. When we go to the district commissioner’s office, the officials refuse to give us information. As a result, we fail to link our development projects and the projects which government is implementing through local councils.”
Phunzirani Development Organisation programmes manager Kinnear Mlowoka concurred with Kathamalo, saying it is high time district councils provided necessary information to CSOs for easy implementation of development projects.
The CSOs have since called upon members of Parliament (MPs) to discuss and pass the Access to Information (ATI) Bill so that they can easily access information for development.
Meanwhile, Media, Information and Communications Committee of Parliament and the Legal Affairs Committee have been discussing the Bill before it is taken to Parliament during the next sitting.
NDI senior programmes manager Pamela Kuwali said her organisation will be happy if MPs pass the ATI Bill. n
