Local structures empowered

Governance, Gender, Justice and Development Centre, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has drilled local government structures in Mchinji to track public projects.

Speaking in an interview, the NGO’s head of programmes Grace Makuti Pherani said they wanted to equip area development committee members with skills to demand accountability and transparency from duty-bearers.

She said: “One of the factors that negatively affects the effective performance of the district’s local government system is lack of capacity in local structures to hold elected leaders, other public officials and service providers accountable.”

Kawere Area Development Committee chairperson Innocent Chavala said he will use the skills to demand accountability on the disappearance of school property in the area.

On his part, Mchinji assistant district community development officer Rodrick Phiri commended the NGO for training the structures on governance.

The NGO’s Social Accountability and Transparency of Public Expenditure Management and Functionality Project targeted 16 area development committees in the district.

The one-year project was implemented through the Local Governance Accountability and Performance with funding from Usaid and UKAid to the tune of K36 million.