By Mphatso M’bang’ombe:
Local Government and Rural Development Minister Ben Phiri has called on councillors to promote transparency and accountability.
Phiri made the remarks during a councillors’ engagement meeting held at Mponela Trading Centre in Dowa District.
“It is important that we create a group of leaders who respect taxpayers’ money and put it to good use. If we manage public resources responsibly, we can accelerate the pace of development in the country,” Phiri said.
The minister urged councillors to lead by example in promoting a culture of integrity within councils, saying local authorities play a key role in service delivery.
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Phiri also commended development partners, particularly the World Bank, for their continued support to Malawi.
He said beyond financial assistance, the institution has helped strengthen capacity in local councils to improve project implementation standards.
Citing the impact of the Government to Enable Service Delivery project funded by the World Bank, Phiri said the initiative has delivered significant and lasting development outcomes.
Malawi Local Government Association vice-president and Ntchisi District Council chairperson Maloto Chimkombero said efforts to strengthen staffing in local councils are improving financial management and service delivery.
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Chimkombero said a project supporting the recruitment of key personnel, such as procurement officers and planners, is helping councils execute development activities.
“With the introduction of the K5 billion Constituency Development Fund, many councils faced pressure due to limited staff, especially in programming departments. The recruitment of staff in councils has improved their capacity to implement development projects,” he said.
Chimkombero added that the initiative is promoting community participation in development processes.
The meeting was held with support from the World Bank and attracted councillors from Nkhotakota, Ntchisi, Salima and Dowa districts.
