Ntchisi impresses on decentralisation

Ntchisi District Council has impressed a Capital Hill team assessing implementation of various projects under the Decentralisation Programme.

The delegation, comprising Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Principal Secretary (PS)Charles Kalemba, his counterpart from Ministry of Health Dan Namarika and National Local Government Finance Committee executive director Alifeyo Banda as well as other officials from the two ministries, visited the council to assess how it has embraced decentralisation

“The district education manager’s office, for instance, achieved 84 percent pass rate during last year’s Primary School Leaving Certificate  of Education examinations.  It is also paying teachers’ salaries and leave grants on time,” said Kalemba.

At the District Health Office (DHO), Namarika commended the office for managing its resources, something he said similar establishments can learn from.

“The office has paid its water bills for four months in advance up to August, and its fleet of ambulances is well maintained,” he said.

Namarika also commended the DHO for reducing neonatal deaths from 13 in 2017 to nine in 2018.

The National Decentralisation Policy was approved by Cabinet in October 1998 to give administrative powers to district councils to perform certain tasks on behalf of the central government.