KK Radio promotes good governance

Nkhotakota Community Radio Station (NCRS) has said good governance and radio awareness programmes are a prerequisite to economic growth and meaningful development in the country.

NCRS programme manager Edward Kwacha said this on Monday during a district executive committee (DEC) meeting where he introduced a six-month Deepening Citizens’ Voices Project, which will be implemented in the district and some surrounding areas.

Kwacha told DEC the project strives to increase capacity and skills of local governance structures and citizens to hold duty-bearers, especially, members of Parliament (MPs), councillors and council secretariat officials accountable.

He said it is a pity to note that MPs and councillors are busy implementing development initiatives according to their priorities while ignoring voters and their manifesto promises.

The programme manager asked the DEC to be vigilant and encourage local governance structures in the district such as area development committees (ADCs), area executive committees (AECs),village development committees (VDCs) and all citizens to attain skills to demand development so that duty-bearers fulfil what they promised during the campaign period.

Kwacha said the project will, therefore, improve transparency, accountability and responsiveness of duty bearers like MPs, councillors and district council officials.

He said the project will focus on Nkhotakota Central, South and South East constituencies. He, however, emphasised that the aired programmes will reach a wider population.

The Deepening Citizens’ Voices is a $15 000 (about K8 million) project funded by National Democratic Institute (NDI).