Chikwawa DC deplores political pressure M

Public officers working in some district councils ignore laid down public finance management procedures because of political pressure, it has been learnt.

Chikwawa district commissioner (DC) Bester Mandere expressed the sentiments when commenting on claims by workers from Traditional Authority (T/A) Chapananga in the district that they were not paid allowances for a public works food for work programme in 2015.

Group Village Head (GVH) Chitungwani said when they asked the DC’s office, they were told that the money was given to their ward councillor.

Said the chief: “We were told to ask our councillor because he is the one who collected the money. There were 66 people who worked on that project and never got paid. Each was supposed to receive K5 820 and we are owed K384 120.”

While admitting that it was unprocedural for council staff to make the said payment through the ward councillor, Mandere said sometimes the councillors exert pressure on officers as if their actions are based on good faith.

Said the DC: “We are required to follow government set standards in our operations. But sometimes we are given unnecessary pressure by politicians, leading to officers ending up flouting procedures. I tell my officers to always follow correct procedures though.”

Chimwanjale Ward councillor Daison Manjolo (Democratic Progressive Party-DPP) said there was a mismatch in the names on the work sheet and pay sheet which forced the DC’s office to suspect corruption.

He, however, denied getting money from the council. n