Tuesday, January 26, 2021
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Adverts
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home News National News

Kasungu registers 13 500 ghost villages in Fisp

by Johnny Kasalika
14/04/2013
in National News
3 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

A study into implementation of the 2012/2013 Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) in Malawi has revealed that Kasungu registered 13 500 ghost villages in the just ended farming season, a rise from 12 788 last year.

The revelations are in sharp contrast to previous assessments which rated the district as a star performer in 2009 and 2010.

RelatedHeadlines

Machinga to plant 1.5 million trees

Communities hail new public works programme

Balaka District Council decries funding delay

District commissioner for Kasungu Harrison Lende has since vowed to clean up the mess, saying stern measures will be taken against the culprits

Results of the study, which was conducted by Good Health Youth Organisation under the Kalondolondo programme, were released on Thursday during a district interface meeting organised to assess the programme.

We do not have figures to compare Kasungu to other districts, but according to Kalondolondo, this is the worst performance of the 2012/2013 Fisp programme.

According to Kasungu district agricultural development officer (Dado), Jackson Mkombezi, the 13 500 ghost villages are an increase from last year’s 12 788, against 1 615 gazetted.

Mkombezi said after consultations with the DC’s office prior to implementation of this year’s programme, the council maintained last season’s figures.

Persistent wrangles among chiefs in the district are contributing to the creation of new villages, according to the study.

“

What I am saying is that normally the field extension workers and the group village heads are the ones that create ghost villages for their own benefit. When they do that, our traditional authorities are not aware until such a time they are receiving the coupons. That’s when the T/As know of the existence of these ghost villages. Only then do they start snatching the coupons.

“I have since asked T/As as well as the office of the Dado to discipline such unscrupulous village heads and officials. I will see to it myself that the culprits are brought to book or suspended to help restore the integrity of the system; otherwise, this is unwarranted for,” said Lende.

The DC also said there is need for stakeholders in the programme to coordinate their work instead of operating in isolation as is currently the case.

Lende said the Kasungu Agricultural Development Division used to sideline the council during planning meetings; a situation he said was posing a challenge during implementation of the programme.

Commanding officer for Kasungu Police John Nyondo bemoaned the culture of silence among communities in the district, saying people do not speak out when they see such malpractices.

“Kasungu will continue to face the same challenges year in, year out, simply because people are afraid to speak out. But as police, we will continue hunting for the suspects now that information has been forthcoming,” said Nyondo.

Programme manager for Kalondolondo Jephther Mwanza expressed disappointment with the findings.

“What it simply means is that community-based workers are not pulling in the same direction with government. Through such trickery, the village heads and extension workers are actually defeating government’s efforts in trying to improve livelihoods,” he said

Kalondolondo, which is a community-based monitoring organisation run by a consortium of Plan, Council for Non-governmental Organisations (Congoma) and Action Aid, works in 14 districts in the country.

Previous Post

‘Effects of devaluation marring human rights performance’

Next Post

Sad goodbye to NPL editor

Related Posts

tree planting | The Nation Online
National News

Machinga to plant 1.5 million trees

January 25, 2021
plants | The Nation Online
National News

Communities hail new public works programme

January 25, 2021
presentation | The Nation Online
National News

Balaka District Council decries funding delay

January 25, 2021
Next Post

Sad goodbye to NPL editor

Trending Stories

  • covid 2 | The Nation Online

    SA returnees in forced quarantine

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Health workers not spared by Covid-19

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Tonse faulted on former presidents’ benefits

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • court rebuffs apm on frozen account

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Cometh the hour,Cometh the man

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Opinions and Columns

My Turn

Behaviour change key in Covid-19 fight

January 25, 2021
Emily Mkamanga

Citizens power brings change

January 24, 2021
Search Within

The rural farmer needs to take centre stage

January 24, 2021
My Thought

Spread hope not fear

January 24, 2021
  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2021 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.