The era of inconsistent and lack of uniformity in the filling of standard programme based budgets is over. This is so following the successful conclusion to the generation of a budget manual for all local councils in Malawi.

Speaking to the NLGFC Newsletter, Yohane Nyanja, Budget Analyst at the NLGFC, says, ‘for a long time there have been inconsistencies and lack of uniformity in the filling of standard templates. So the manual seeks to guide local governments in formulation and reporting of the Programme Based Budgets (PBB)’, says Nyanja.

Nyanja says this propelled the NLGFC and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and Development to make decision to develop the manual.

Nyanja says the PBB provides instructions to local governments on how to fill in the PBB budget templates and provides what information needs to get submitted.

Nyanja says he is hopeful that there will be great improvements in as afar budgeting and reporting are concerned.

Director of Finance at the NLGFC Kondwani Santhe says the Manual is an instruction and reference tool for local governments and it will go a long way to come up with uniform, consistent and standardised PBB’.

Santhe says the NLGFC is convinced that the budget manual will also assist local governments in PBB formulation, implementation and reporting prioritised expenditure on interventions that bring the best results in relation to financial management and utilisation.

The manual was developed with financial assistance form UNICEF and it compliments existing budget manuals, circulars and other guidelines for local governments in Malawi.