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(TIMES) Irresponsible councils taught lesson over CDF

Irresponsible councils taught lesson over CDF
By Times Reporter

THE Government has blocked most councils from accessing the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) which has been increased from K60 million to K200 million this year because of lack of accountability. Finance and National Planning Minister Ng’andu Magande announced in Ndola yesterday that principal council officers in the country would not be spared if they fail to interprete or guide their subordinates on the usage of the CDF. Mr Magande said the CDF for 2007 had been released by the Ministry of Local Government and Housing for onwards transmission to the councils.

“Those councils which may have misapplied or misappropriated the previous Constituency development funds will not receive their allocations until culprits are brought to book and surcharged in accordance with the Local Government Act,” he said. He said the Government would not spare any principal officer who fails to interpret or guide on the usage of the funds in accordance with the revised 2006 CDF guidelines. “ All members of Parliament, councillors and management shall be bound by these guidelines,” Mr Magande said.Mr Magande said this during the installation ceremony for Ndola mayor, Anthony Katongo and his deputy, Charles Chiwala.

Mr Magande also directed all councils to revoke trading licences of business houses that refuse to paint their buildings and clean their surroundings in line the Keep Zambia Clean and Healthy campaign. He said the government wanted to see the role of local authorities in national development was boosted.and business housing failing to adhere to the Keep Zambia Clean Campaign will have themselves to blame if their premises were closed down.

“To this effect, Government directs that no new licences or renewal of licences should be granted to traders who fail to paint their buildings and provide for dust bins,” he said.

The minister pointed out that the Traders Licensing Act had also been amended whose amendments should guide the councils as they prepare for the 2008 Budget of Revenue and Expenditure.

This should be done in order to take into account the revised licence fees for various categories of licences.

Mr Magande said the recently promulgated Street Vending and Nuisance regulations were now in place to empower councils to implement programmes that would ensure a clean and healthy environment by imposing penalties on citizens who might perpetrate acts of dirty in communities and towns.

The minister said Government was aware of the fact that most councils did not have title deeds for their properties as revealed in various audit reports.

“Lack of title deeds makes it difficulty for most councils to use their properties as collateral to access loans being offered by banks.

“I therefore implore all principal officers to take stock of the properties their councils own and apply for title deeds through the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to the Ministry of Lands,” Mr Magande said.

He said Government was now ready to release the Land Development Fund under the ministry of land for the surveying, demarcating and numbering and not for other municipal services. He said the funds were meant to facilitate for the construction of 100 houses in each district in the country.

Mr Magande also disclosed that the Government had spent over K1 trillion on the Constitution review process as well as holding of last year’s general elections.

Mr Magande said the money was spent in the past four years for the Constitution review process, the holding of last year’s elections and various meetings and initiatives aimed at ensuring that the country comes up with a good Constitution.

Mr Magande told the Times that K200 billion which has this year been set aside for footing the costs of Constitutional reforms related issues which now included the National Constitutional Conference (NCC).

“The Government is ready to release more funds if the K200 billion becomes insufficient by the end of the year or if the Constitutional making process through the NCC is extended to next year,” he said.

He said the Government wanted to quickly deal with the Constitution making process so that it could concentrate its efforts on national development.

“The Government wants to do away with this issue of the Constitution. The Government wants to start implementing the Vision 2020. We want to change the way we live now and not tomorrow,” he said.

And Mr Magande has also congratulated the City of Ndola for winning the bid to host the ultra-modern stadium to be constructed as a gift from the People’s Republic of Chins.

He appealed to the Ndola City Council authorities to work hard to complete the stadium on time.

Labels: CDF

posted by MrK @ 8:42 PM