‘Distribute projects evenly’
Community leaders from traditional authorities Wasambo and Mwakaboko in Karonga have asked duty-bearers to distribute projects evenly in the district.
Wasambo Area Development Committee (ADC) chairperson Happy Ndovi said this on Wednesday during an annual accountability meeting the Catholic Commission of Justice and Peace (CCJP) of Karonga Diocese organised for duty-bearers.
He said hard-to-reach areas are neglected by duty-bearers.
Said Ndovi: “It is surprising that during elections, government ensures that voting materials reach them through helicopters, but fail to give them schools, roads, health facilities and potable water.
“There are areas such as Lisikwa where learners start Standard One at 11 due to long distance to the nearest school.”
He said at Kambenene there is a primary school with one block built in 1996.
Mwakaboko ADC chairperson Edward Chitete said the road from Songwe Border to Ngana is in bad state, making it hard for farmers and patients to access markets and hospitals respectively.
But Karonga District Council director of planning and development David Gondwe said community leaders should initiate development in their areas.
“They should develop village action plans which outline developmental needs according to priority and when money is available, the council will implement the projects,” he said.
Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) coordinator Macdonald Mphangwe said they wanted community leaders to hold duty-bearers to account to reduce the gap of inequalities in the district.
CCJP is implementing Enhancing Social Accountability in Local Governance to reduce Inequalities for an Inclusive Malawi with funding from NCA.
