Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Richard Chimwendo Banda has cautioned District Commissioners ( DCs) in the country against any deliberate complacency and funds mismanagement when discharging their duties as that delay government efforts in promoting and spearheading economic growth and transformation in the country.
Chimwendo was speaking in Blantyre on Monday, September 4, 2023 when he opened a Southern Region Quarterly Coordination meeting on how to use and manage the funds donated by World Bank through Governance to Enable Service Delivery ( GESD) basket.
In his remarks, the Minister said officials at district levels have to stop the sprit of laziness, exemplified by failure to tap in the GESD basket, delays to finish projects and mismanagement of donor agencies funds that are earmarked to for development and that government will wage ‘war’ on such officials.
“Many officials have chosen in these past years to dither over approval for major projects that are aimed to spur economic transformation for poor Malawians to avoid drawing the scrutiny of anti-graft body officers and as government we will not allow to sacrifice the development of this country on the altar because of such officials hence the last warning.
“If you can not account for accountability and transparency, the best is for you to go than waiting someone to fire you. Malawians are hungry for development and and have no time to listen to officials that keep ‘singing songs of laziness’ in their offices,” warned Chimwendo Banda who is also leader of government business in Parliament.
Banda has since urged district commissioners who receive pressure from any politician to release funds to report them to ACB.
Meanwhile, the Malawi Local Government Association (MALGA) Chief Executive Officer, Hadrod Mkandawire has asked the minister slow walk plans to fire the DC’s for their ‘minimal misconducts’.
