Chanza appointed BCC acting CEO

Four days after sending Blantyre City Council (BCC) chief executive officer Ted Nandolo on an indefinite suspension, government has appointed former principal secretary for Ministry of Labour Alfred Chanza in an  acting capacity.

Nandolo was suspended last week for allegedly implementing salary increments without following required procedures. He has worked as BCC chief executive officer since 2011.

Chanza, who served at the council as director of administrative services for eight years before his secondment to Ministry of Labour, confirmed the development yesterday.

“I can confirm that I am back at the council as acting chief executive officer after my secondment at the Ministry of Labour. I officially reported for work last Friday,” he confirmed in a brief interview.

Chanza was appointed principal secretary by former president Joyce Banda in January 2014 and was relieved of his duties by President Peter Mutharika two months ago.

Before joining the council, Chanza worked as lecturer at the Staff Development Institute (SDI) in Mpemba, Blantyre and Ministry of Local Government in Dowa.

Muhlabase Mughogho, spokesperson for Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, said Nandolo was suspended for administrative investigations after he implemented salary increments without government’s approval as stipulated in the Local Government Act.

According to city by-laws, the council was supposed to forward its decision on the salary increment to Local Government Finance Committee from where it was supposed to go to government for determination, but Nandolo allegedly sidestepped the procedure. n