A dyke along Phalombe River set to be rehabilitated in the area of Group Village Headman Malambwe in Phalombe district has raised hopes for people of the area to get back to their normal lives in the near future.

The dyke rehabilitation which is listed as one of the projects to be done by community members of the area under the Enhanced Public Works Programme (EPWP) is expected to protect people of Group Village men Malambwe, Chimombo and Njobvu from floods that displace a good population of them almost every year.

According to Chairperson for Malambwe Catchment Management Committee (CMC) Arnold Masema since news came in that the dyke which has been badly damaged in the past was going to be rehabilitated, community members have expressed hope for salvation.

"People of this area are never settled completely because time after time they have to relocate to someplace else when Phalombe River overflows, but now that there is a plan to rehabilitate the frayed dyke these people are hopeful for a better life," said Masema.

Speaking during the Njira Documentary screening exercise, Group Village Headman Njobvu of Traditional Authority Jenala said people of his area are but some of the many that suffer extended negative impacts of floods as his village lies at the end of the dyke which receives all the water from the river.

"Most of the water that fails to pass through the dyke into Chimombo and Malambwe villages comes down here and it passes through my village because I am at the lower end of the dyke and it does not cover me. Now that I hear the plan is to also extend it downwards on top of rehabilitating it, I am almost relieved," the GVH said.

Currently some of the villages that lie along the damaged dyke continue to get affected by flooding water that passes through the broken parts of the old dyke whose dilapidation worsened with the 2018/19 rains that continued to tatter it.

Story Credits: Sam Majamanda, District Information Officer, Phalombe.

Local Authorities have embraced Government of Malawi’s direction to fully implement the  International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) accrual-based accounting from cash based accounting.

In a statement during regional trainings to orient Local Councils to the new system, National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) Director of Finance Kondwani Santhe said it was encouraging to note that councils have embraced the more efficient and effective system.

‘Malawi has developed a 4 staged implementation approach to full IPSAS accrual and the plan is that by year 2026, all Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) including Local Authorities (Councils) prepare their financial statements on full accrual’, says Santhe.

Santhe says this follows guidance from the Accountant General  that all MDAs comply with IPSAS accrual stage 2 as a minimum requirement as well as in the 2019/2020 financial statements preparations.

‘Looking at the enormous work and the quasi-organisational nature of Local Councils coupled with various financial obligations and the need for more financial disclosures, reporting and presentation, Local Authorities will now henceforth, prepare financial statements on IPSAS accrual stage 3,’ Santhe says.

In his presentation at one of the training sessions, Chief Auditor at the National Audit Office Wachawaseme Mwale said the NLGFC facilitated trainings for Directors of Finance/ Chief Accountants and other accounting personnel from all Local Authorities across Malawi was a huge step towards orienting them on the preparation of financial statements for 2019/2020 on IPSAS accrual stage 3.

‘it will improve accountability and transparency (greater detail and increased disclosure in financial statements) with more credible, reliable financial reports which meet international standards and enhance harmonization, standardisation, comparability and consistency (within public entities and councils, with other international organizations, and over time) says Mwale.

In her remarks, Chairperson of Finance Managers Network (Local Authorities), Ellen Kaira Mwale, who is also Director of Finance (DOF) at Mulanje District Council  said, ‘the training will dramatically improve local councils financial reporting and other capabilities following harmonisation, standardisation and migration of accounting processes from the IPSAS cash to IPSAS accrual stage 3’.

Kaira Mwale, commended the NLGFC for taking the council officers through the process, ‘It is a new system and is easy to follow, easy to audit and increases transparency, reporting and accountability’, Mwale says.  

‘If a council fails to provide financial statements by 31^st October, this year, it shall be an individual officer’s inefficiencies’, Mwale says.

Kaira Mwale says council accounting staff are appreciative as the trainings were aligned to the new year and councils have been given all they would require to be current and effective in their financial reporting.

Speaking during the Blantyre training NLGFC’s Financial Analyst, Dalitso Mainjeni said the orientation would enhance standardisation and reporting by councils so that there is comparability in council performances and timely generation of transactions.

IPSAS accrual reporting complies with Section 13 of the Public Finance Management Act while IFAC encourages Governments and Public Enterprises to use International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).

As one way of increasing transparency and accountability in the presentation of financial reports at council level, National Local Government Finance Committee- NLGFC has drilled Finance Directors on the use of recommended system for the report dubbed International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).

This comes at a time district councils have been embedded in various failures of financial management.

In 2019, the accountant general issued a directive for all councils to start using IPSAS as one way of harmonising and ensuring that all financial reports are standardised.

Speaking during a two-day workshop in Blantyre, Financial Expert Dalitso Mainjeni from National Local Government Finance Committee admitted that local councils being found in inappropriate status as most of them could fail to come up with good financial reports.

"In the past, councils have been failing to present their elaborative financial statements due to lack of knowledge of IPSAS.

“We have noted that government employees lack capacity to handle international accounting standards, hence, we thought of training the officers as a way of helping Malawi to improve its profile on international accounting standards,” he said.

"I believe with the coming in of this system, most financial directors will be able to broaden their statements for authorities to be able to clearly understand them,” he added.

The National Local Government Finance Committee has since pledged to make follow-ups in the councils’ financial statements for 2019/2020 financial year.

According to NLGFC, the financial statements seek to have full use of the recommended international system of International Public Sector Accounting Standards - IPSAS.

Meanwhile, Chief Accountant in the Ministry of Finance, Steve Chimenya has singled out the absence of International Public Sector  Accounting Standards to be the main challenge leading to failure of councils to successfully present their financial statements.

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Principal Secretary in the Charles Kalemba says time has come for District Commissioners and Chief Executive Officers to get back the esteemed status which Councils used to have in the past.

In his remarks at the DCs and CEOs technical meeting at Mzuzu Hotel recently, the PS said as Responsible and Controlling officers, they should develop a spirit of living behind a legacy in their councils.

“The office of the DC used to be respected because that is where the government sits and you have eroded the status. Nowadays, Councils are known for theft and mismanagement of funds. You are responsible officers as well as controlling officers. You need to clean up. You should decide whether to live up or Leave the game,” said the PS.

He also said that it is possible to have a council system that is prudent and reminded the DCs and CEOS that they have the power to sanction anyone not delivering on the job or is involved in resources and funds abuse in the councils.

National Local Government Finance Committee Executive Director, Alifeyo Banda concurred with the PS saying that most of the problems in the Councils are a reflection of DCs and CEOS not being in control.

“We have so many issues in the councils and most of them reflect that you are not in control of your councils. How can we be having strikes in councils for failing to pay direct staff? You need to understand your responsibilities in the councils. Have a vision and be aware that if you do not have a strategic plan you cannot lead the council anywhere,” said Banda.

He said that these meetings were organized to focus and align the local council controlling officers on their responsibilities and what is expected so that they are be held accountable when there is deviance.

The NLGFC is also planning to develop an administration manual for DCs on their responsibilities and council management. The manual will also act as an induction roadmap for newly recruited DC’s.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Hon. Lingson K.W Belekanyama, M.P and Deputy Minister Hon. Halima Daudi, M.P have applauded National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) managers and staff for major milestones achieved by the committee inspite of absence of a lack of an enabling ACT for its expected regulatory functions especially against the erstwhile wholesale plunder in councils.

Belekanyama said this when he addressed staff at the NLGFC on Monday.

As the financial year 2019/2020 comes to an end, government entities and MDAs including Local Authorities (LAs) are expected to produce year end final accounts which becomes the basis of auditing by Auditor General.

NLGFC, through the Directorate of Finance embarked on financial supervisory and monitoring visits to all local governments. The exercise is intended to enhance compliance and adherence to accounting policies, regulations and reporting in readiness for the preparation of 2019/2020 financial statement.

NLGFC Director of Finance, Kondwani Santhe said that the activity has come at the right time and a reminder to councils for them to have up-to-date financial transactions, bank reconciliations and improved documentation for the financial year 2019/2020.

Santhe also said that as a financial regulator for local governments, NLGFC is responsible for the development and implementation of sound financial management policies and procedures for LAs to ensure prudent utilization and timely availability of financial resources for the implementation of various social services and economic development needs.

During the exercise, councils were supervised and advised to comply and adhere to financial compliance and adherence to financial regulatory frameworks at all times.

Monthly bank reconciliations and financial reports were also reviewed. Further, critical areas of improvement in financial reporting, documentation and IFMIS were also discussed.                                                                                        
"Activities of such kind are important to local governments as they ensure accurate, completeness and timely submission of financial statements and improves accountability, financial performance and reporting in preparation of year end final accounts," said Santhe.

He added that the exercise was critical as it will facilitate timely submission of LAs 2019/2020 final accounts. 

National Local Government Finance Committee has trained Lilongwe District Council staff to use a new system in the Mthandizi Public Works Project.

Speaking on Tuesday during the training, the committee’s monitoring and evaluation officer Benjamin Kayala said the Mthandizi live monitoring system being introduced in councils will help track work the beneficiaries cover and its equivalent payment.

He said the system seeks to instill a spirit of hard work in community members because previously people demanded wages on unfinished job.

He said: “Previous experience has shown that beneficiaries were after money and not the outcome of the work.

“We are not trying to punish them, but we want them to own the projects because they also benefit from the same.”

Kayala said council staff should know the system so that they do not struggle to implement it.

Lilongwe district director of Public Works Willard Chirwa said council staff should undergo the training to effectively implement the project.

“We rely on the council to convince community members to work collectively and produce the best results. This is being piloted and once it fails that will be end of the project,” he said.

Lilongwe district community development officer Annie Kamwendo said the training equipped her with skills to execute the job.

“I believe the beneficiaries will like the system because it will help get rid of those that benefitted without doing any work,” she said.

Under Mthandizi Public Works people work for 12 days in a month for two months and get K21 600.

National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) says it will soon start monitoring and tracking all projects implemented through Enhanced Public Works Programme (EPWP) online by using live monitoring tool.

NLGFC Information and Communication Technology (ICT) officer Erasmus Chikupira said this on Wednesday in Karonga during a training of District Environmental Sub- Committee (DESC), Extension workers and foremen.

Chikupira said the introduction of the EPWP live monitoring tool is aimed at improving monitoring and reporting of sub-projects implementation in the micro-catchments.

“We have introduced EPWP live monitoring tool because during the previous Public Works Programme there was a big gap in monitoring and reporting the progress of the projects from the districts, National and even to our donors.

“So we have deliberately come up with this initiative so that we track every progress happening on the ground and count for every amount of money invested in the catchment areas in all the ten districts where EPWP are taking place,” he said

Chikupira added that the tool will also capture real time data and has digitized processes in EPWP more especially the date capturing the amount of work done by beneficiaries at each project site in order to facilitate payment of wages.

“This tool is simple, efficient and reliable as it can be accessed right away on mobile phones by dialing *248# for both TNM and Airtel lines.

“Using this tool we will be tracking the right people who are supposed to get paid basing on the amount of work they have done on the ground. If the beneficiary doesn’t complete his or her work, then they will be given half of their payment,” he said

Commenting on the development, Karonga Acting EPWP Coordinator Maxwell Lowole said the initiative is crucial as it will provide the required data as the activities will be implemented in catchment areas.

Lowole further said that the EPWP live tool will also assist in promoting transparency and accountability during the implementation of the projects.

With financial support from GIZ, NLGFC will be conducting the trainings in ten districts councils namely Chitipa and Karonga in the North, Nkhota-kota, Kasungu, Dowa and Lilongwe in the center and Balaka, Chiradzulu, Phalombe and Blantyre in the south.

Story Credits: Andrew Mkonda Banda

The President His Excellency Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera says time has come for all Malawians to turn the corner and move the country from the rubble and ruins of poverty to a nation basking in prosperity and progress.

The President said this in Lilongwe during his inaugural address also marking Malawi's 56th independence anniversary celebration.

We bring to you an excerpt of the President's address:

Today, I too promise to give this country my best and do my best for you as your servant. More importantly, I promise to set a good example of submitting myself to the constitutional processes, provisions, and institutions that are designed to ensure that the President and Vice President are always at their best.

This means that as required by law, I will make a full declaration of my assets each year; I will go to Parliament to be questioned by the People about my handling of state affairs; I will propose legislation to reduce the powers of the presidency and empower institutions to operate independently, including Parliament and the Anti-Corruption Bureau; I will meet with the Leader of Opposition personally every three months to listen to alternative ways of running government affairs; and I will operationalize the Access to Information Act in order to end the era of government secrecy and usher in the dawn of government accountability.

As I seek to be at my best through these measures, you can also count on me to challenge all of you to be at your best. I will challenge the leadership of the judiciary to do more to root out the culture of corruption and selective justice that has shipwrecked too many of our lowest courts.

I will challenge those who sit in Parliament to act professionally, put away childish ways, and repeal and replace the bad laws that remain on our books.

I will challenge civil society organization to maintain a culture of robust protest, not just against governance institutions, but against any entity that is on the wrong side of justice.

I will challenge our development partners to respect our vision and plans for our own country and to partner with us in ways that respect our dignity and sovereignty, not ways that undermine it.

I will challenge all of you as citizens to work hard, work hard, work hard, work hard, and work hard.

The time of giving free handouts and rewarding noise makers and handclappers who are too lazy to work is past. We have a country to build and not a moment to waste. So, let’s all get to work.