Nation Online

LL builds 97 teachers’ houses, PWP faces challenges

Lilongwe District Council has built 97 teachers’ houses with money from the Local Development Fund (LDF).

Lilongwe is one of the largest beneficiaries of LDF owing to its size and population.

Lilongwe district commissioner Paul Kalilombe said they achieved this because of good working relationship between the council and communities.

“We have been building teachers’ houses every year, but this financial year alone 97 houses have been built.

“Of course, others are yet to be completed. Lilongwe is the largest recipient of Local Development Fund in the country,” he said.

Parliament allocated K340 727 131 (about $1m) to teachers’ houses project alone in the district, K137 118 940 (about $403 291) to roads and K16 165 060 (about $48 000) to forestry activities.

Kalilombe said most teachers in the district walk long distance to and from school because of lack of institutional houses.

He cited late disbursement of funds as a major challenge, saying it affects planning.

He also said some people are reluctant to participate in Public Works Programme (PWP), claiming the money they receive is little.

“As a result, some people opt to be doing piece works elsewhere other than the Public Works Programme.

“We need civic education for people to understand the importance of Public Works Programme because lack of community participation affecting implementation,” said Kalilombe.

He also blamed traditional leaders for showing little interest in the programme.

“There are also complaints that some people who do not work are getting paid. It is difficult for us to know who is participating in the programme or not. We rely on traditional leaders,” said Kalilombe.

On the forestry project, he said most of the trees have already been bought and planted.

“This time we bought trees in good time. In the past, trees were being bought towards the end of the rainy season,” said Kalilombe.