Communities drilled to monitor public funds

Centre for Social Concern (CfSC) has trained traditional leaders and community members in Phalombe District to monitor public funds.

Speaking on Friday during the training, the organisations’s programmes officer Bernard Mphepo said development structures should in the wake of donor fatigue have interest in how the district council is managing public funds.

He said: “This is the most critical time for government institutions to use tax money properly because we are aware that external aid is not coming as before.

“So, let us be vigilant in managing our finances.”

During the training, Phalombe District Council finance department officers took participants through the budget process, financial management chains and other key areas of public finance management.

Village head Jimu of Traditional Authority Mkhumba urged fellow traditional leaders to use the knowledge to hold public funds managers accountable.

“I have learnt that by pushing for checks and balances, I will help government to perform better,” he said.

CfSC is implementing a social accountability project in the district to build capacities of community structures to track public funds.