Dec members sharing project experiences
It has been established that Dowa District executive committee [Dec] members are not aware of how much money the National Economic Empowerment Fund [NEEF] pump in into the district and how much has been repaid.
Incoming District Commissioner for Dowa Stallichi Mwambiwa posed this question to the members and it was very surprising to note that none responded clearly speaking for itself that in NEEF politics is taking a centre stage in the administration of the fund.
Mwambiwa said it is only people with information who can make the rightful decisions, information is power saying it is his wish that NEEF officials be invited to Dec meetings to give updates on how much money is being pumped and repaid and whether the loans are changing the lives of people in the district or not.
Speaking during an Extraordinary Dec meeting held at the boma on Friday, Mwambiwa said transparency and accountability are critical components of service deliveries advising members to take extra two gears and keep fighting to serve the Dowa communities.
Mwambiwa encouraged members that his office is open to all calling for the need to intensify collaboration between them particularly the Technical Working Group [TWG] if they are ready to serve the communities better.
He assured Civil Society Organizations [CSOs] implementing various interventions in the district that he is ready to attend their meetings anywhere even if they don’t provide lunch allowance saying what matters most is his presence.
….’’Invite us, when we commit we are coming, we are coming, let’s change the way we have been doing things,’’….said Mwambiwa.
The DC said it is his interest to see to it that members hold interface meetings, it is here where they can share knowledge and experiences in their projects encouraging partners to improve their reporting skills saying appropriate reports will help to follow what is happening in the district.
He also encouraged partners to sign Memorandum of Understandings with the council and CSO Network to enhance cooperation, transparency and accountability giving examples of Karonga and Mulanje districts as doing fine in the penning of their signatures.
Mwambiwa said it is sad that out of many CSOs in Dowa district, only six have signed Memorandum of Understandings [MoUs] saying this is a worrisome development expressing hope that others will be signing in due course.
He called for the need to have standard sign document particularly on assets so that when a project expires, the assets remain in the district for sustainability purposes and advising the office of the Director of Planning and Development [DPD] to work hand in hand with CSO leadership to complete the form.
Mwambiwa has replaced Alex Mdooko as Dowa District Commissioner for Dowa previously, he was District Commissioner for Mulanje.
