Chitipa councillors in expenditure tracking fix

The absence of an internal auditor and lack of understanding of financial reports is said to be frustrating efforts by councillors in Chitipa to successfully track how government resources are used in various projects implemented in the district.

Following revelations of the looting and plunder of billions of kwacha at Capital Hill in 2012, dubbed Cashgate, public expenditure tracking is seen as one of the good practices to curb further abuse of resources.

With Local Development Fund (LDF), Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and market revenue at district level,  it has been emphasised that local councils should be strengthened in public expenditure tracking, as they are prone to abuse.

Chitipa District Council chairperson Isaac Mwepa said in an interview on Thursday most reports from implementing agencies use jargons that are too difficult to understand.

“Let me admit that we don’t understand financial matters that much. We don’t know how best to follow up on reports that are also too technical for us. It is difficult for politicians like us to understand these issues.

“Essentially, it is possible that we end up adopting project implementation reports without fully understanding their contents. Public expenditure tracking has been a challenge,” he said.

Mwepa also hinted that lack of an internal auditor increases the challenge.

Secretary for Justice and Peace Desk at Karonga Diocese, Mwawi Shaba, said there is information gap on government resources that exists between councils’ secretariats and councillors.

He said most resources from government do not trickle down to people as a few people take advantage of the lack of knowledge among the citizenry to abuse resources.

Meanwhile, the Justice and Peace Desk at Karonga Diocese has embarked on public expenditure tracking trainings aimed at sensitising people in Karonga and Chitipa on how best they can follow usage of government resources. n