Register for transparency, board tells Chikwawa NGOs

The NGO Board of Malawi has appealed to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Chikwawa to register with the organisation to ensure transparency.

The board’s chief executive officer Voice Mhone made the appeal on Friday in Chikwawa where he briefed the district council about the operations of the board.

“Registering with the NGO Board of Malawi will help the organisation to work in the areas where their services are needed. It will also help to know their sources of funding, the amount they received and the impact of their work,” he said.

Mhone told members of  the district council that some NGOs are not transparent and added that the board is in the process of establishing the NGO Policy which, among others, will require NGOs to be reporting to district commissioners (DCs) quarterly.

“This will also avoid duplication of work. Currently, you will see two or more NGOs operating in an area, but carrying out the same work. The NGO Policy will correct this anomaly,” said Mhone.

Chikwawa District Council chairperson Collex Nankumba said order will finally prevail among NGOs in the district.

“We have many NGOs in the district, but we do not know what they are doing. As a council, we need to follow what they are doing,” he said.

Lengwe Ward councillor Mwaiwawo Dowe said there is need for strict rules to be followed before an NGO is established. n