ICT Officers have been asked to be alert against rising cases of cyber crimes.

The remarks were made by the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) Director of Corporate Services Arthur Liwonga during the opening of weeklong cyber security training for ICT specialists from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

Liwonga said the training follows continued cyber threats affecting the management of information and ICT equipment in organizations.

“You can appreciate that as NLGFC we handle a lot of information for the central government as well as councils to ensure maximum protection so, administrators need to insulate and ring face information systems before any cyber attacks”, said Liwonga.

In his speech during the orientation, Specialist for ICT services at the NLGFC, Stevie Chapola said that Cyber security covers not only safeguarding confidentiality and privacy, but also the availability and integrity of data, both of which are vital for the quality and safety of care.

“Cyber-breaches are costly to institutions – in terms of expense, recovery time and also through damage to reputation,” said Chapola.

Chapola also asked the experts to stay alert and invest their energies in advocating for good practice in the use and management of the ICT resources to avoid attacks that come out of lack of knowledge by ICT users.

In an interview, UBR Manager Kondwani Mjumira said, The training had also looked at ways to secure the Unlimited Beneficiary Registry (UBR) data. The UBR is a database that keeps household data.

“It is expected the database will keep data for every Malawi household at the end of its implementation”, said Mjumira.

The Government of Malawi, through the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development and the Public Sector Reform delegated the NLGFC to oversee the development and implementation of the Social Registry.

The cyber security training was attended by ICT experts from NLGFC, E- Government and several selected councils in Mangochi. The training was facilitated by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority [MACRA].

The Enhanced Public Works Programme (EPWP) incorporates sustainable livelihoods activities which are undertaken by participant households to enhance their capacities in material and social asset creation and income generation beyond the EPWP. Sustainable Livelihoods interventions are implemented through a strategic linkage to the Community Savings and Investment Promotion (COMSIP) program.

The goal of sustainable livelihoods is to empower households to build their resilience to cope with and recover from socio-economic shocks and to promote mind-set change towards graduation pathways. The three main objectives of sustainable livelihood interventions are to:

• Promote a savings and investment culture
• Strengthen the skills of participants in income generating activities tailored to household needs and demands
• Improve the nutrition, health and sanitation status of the participants

The sustainable livelihoods component will target at least 400 participants chosen from two micro-catchments per pilot district in all the 10 pilot districts implementing the Enhanced Public Works Programme.

THE National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) has disbursed Mk5 billion to 11 district Councils for the Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) implementation for the first cycle (July-October) in the 2020/21 Financial year.

NLGFC Director of Infrastructure and Economic Development, Paul Chipeta says the program has about 126,500 beneficiaries and the disbursements will be done every four months due to the COVID19 pandemic distinct to the usual three months cycle.

“With the COVID19 pandemic, resources will be transferred to Councils every four months for the program and a vertical expansion will be implemented where SCTP beneficiary households will get extra MK5, 000 on top of the average MK 9,000 for a period of 3 months. This is just to help them afford basic needs during this pandemic,” said Chipeta.

In this financial year, average  transfers have been adjusted upwards to MK 9,000 from the MK6,500 which has been consistent for the past three years.

Social Protection Officer, Mateso Kazembe said the adjustment is supposed to happen every financial year but due to limited resources this was unattained in the last 3 years.

He added that as NLGFC they have also been conducting feedback sessions on case management with Councils as they noted some anomalies in the previous financial year on procedures that they have to follow when conducting

case management in SCTP like update of information, claims and complaints that arise through the implementation of the Programme.

Going forward, in addition to the SCTP in the 11 district Councils of Karonga, Rumphi, Nkhatabay, Nkhotakota, Kasungu, Ntchisi, Dowa, Lilongwe, Dedza, Blantyre and Chiradzulu, there are plans to also implement the Urban Cash Transfer in Lilongwe and Blantyre.

The Governance to Enable Service Delivery project is ready for implementation and is awaiting parliamentary approval of the grant from IDA - World Bank.

Speaking to the NLGFC Newsletter coordinator for the project, Robins Gausi said GESD is ready for roll out saying the 5 year project has four components.

“The components are, Performance based financing for Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) on Track - Gausi Service Delivery, Intergovernmental Accountability Systems, Performance Improvement Systems, Adaptive Management and Innovation Support’, said Gausi.

“For example, component one’s objective is to incentivize local authorities to strengthen performance on public resource management and service delivery and the total amount budgeted for component 1 is USD 73.2 million”, Gausi added.

Gausi added that in the project there is increased discretionary funding linked to DDF. He said for local authorities will have to perform well in LAPAI assessment like meeting minimum access conditions (MACS), satisfying Performance Measures (PM’s) and Triggers, as well as submission of annual financial statements for previous financial year.

The Trigger include approvals for AIP for the coming financial year by the full council and NLGFC, consolidated annual procurement and assets disposal plan for the coming financial year in line with the Public Procurement Regulations and guidelines, audit opinion of local authorities financial statements for the previous financial year not adverse or disclaimer and whether the local council has a qualified officer.

The National Local  Government Finance  Committee says it is high time that local authorities started performing to expected standards in financial management to ensure service delivery and development to residents in their areas of work.

The remarks were made by the National Local Government Finance Committee’s (NLGFC) Director of Finance, Mr. Kondwani Santhe in Blantyre, Salima and Mzuzu during regional symposiums targeting finance officers from local councils.

Santhe said there was no excuse for finance officers to run councils outside of various financial regulatory frameworks like the Public Finance Management Act, the Local Government Act and various circulars issued from time to time by the Accountant General and the NLGFC.

“Accountability, transparency and improved governance and eliminating corruption and audit queries is a must”, said Santhe

He said the NLGFC is demanding for increased efficiency and effectiveness saying there was need for increased performances in local revenue and that it is time councils served residents through service and development.

The Director said the regional fiancé symposiums had equipped the fiancé officers, with technical skills, wide experiences standardized reporting templates and various best practice activities, ‘the symposiums are very important as a knowledge sharing and discussion platform among peers and strategizing on areas of improvement going forward’.

In an interview, Director of Finance for Zomba district Muhammud Assani said the symposiums were powerful learning tools, exceptional case study forums and learning hubs.

The NLGFC finance symposiums in collaboration with other partners (the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the National Audit Office and Deloitte for tips off anonymous) have also put in place measures such as increased monitoring, standardized reporting tools, timely submission of Financial Statements, auditing and sanctions against errant officers and councils.

In an interview with the NLGFC Newsletter, one of the participants, Dorcas Msowoya from Phalombe District Council, said the symposiums were helpful and eye opening. Msowoya said the learning and exchange of knowledge would translate into change and effectiveness on the ground.

She said the standardized reporting templates developed by the NLGFC for use by councils, were a major step forward and that there was no reason for late submission of reports.

The symposium was facilitated by the NLGFC and drew finance officers from all councils in Malawi split into three regional cohorts.

Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Honourable Halima Daudi says Government is planning to invest more in district councils for speedy development of the country.

The Deputy Minister said this in Dowa during a tour of the council to appreciate its operations.Daudi said her Ministry is committed to council’s transformation across the country.

“Today I interacted with officials, ward councilors and chiefs to appreciate the operations which are taking place as well as listen to challenges the council is facing and suggested solutions including their priorities for successful implementation of government policies and programs,” said Daudi.

Commenting on some concerns from the Chiefs on the issue of markets not being used by vendors,Honorable Daudi said her ministry is working tirelessly to provide a final solution, ‘I went to Mzimba, Karonga and Nkhatabay district, the same issue appeared in our deliberations.

The approach that was taken when constructing the markets shows that vendors were not consulted. It was a top to bottom approach, meaning they were offered something different from their desires as end users. This is a lesson to us, we promise to work together with relevant publics when doing such projects,” the Deputy Minister said.

Speaking earlier, District Commissioner, Alex Mdooko said the council faces a number of challenges including dilapidated commercial venture structures, and inadequate funding.

“Most of the government structures are very old meaning that with ORT we cannot undertake proper and quality maintenance. The council also has dilapidated commercial structures that cannot compete on the market.

These are among many challenges the council is facing in its operations’, said Mdooko. Representing the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) during the minister’s visit was Director of Infrastructure and Economic Development, Engineer Paul Chipeta.

Dowa district council’s main source of income is central government transfers which are disbursed like to all other funds to councils by the NLGFC.

The NLGFC functions include consolidation and monitoring of local council budgets; mobilisation, allocation and disbursement and accounting for financial resources; and the regulation and ensuring of prudent utilization of financial resources in local councils.

NLGFC was established under section 149 (1) of the constitution of the Republic of Malawi.

The NLGFC has applauded district grievance redress and management committees and district environmental  subcommittees for their positive  response at the end of district based trainings recently.

In an interview with this paper, the Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialist at the NLGFC Mr. Ephron Gausi said the trainings were aimed at  orienting the committees to the newly developed harmonized  manual for use in handling of  grievances for implementation  of social protection programmes such as the enhanced public works pilot project.

Gausi said the trainings were critical as the manual had  streamlined and rationalised  processes in addressing grievances across all social support programmes and humanitarian response activities such as  social cash transfer, the public works programme, community

Ephron Gausi- Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialist livelihoods enhancement, and  school meals program.  Gausi said the trainings also emphasized on the fact that,’  grievance redress mechanisms  are recognised as critical tools for transparency and accountability in social support programmes’.

He said, ’this is critical as  programme implementation  naturally generates complaints particularly where there are  misunderstandings or deviation from agreed modus operandi’.

The district based trainings also provided a scope of the  institutions, instruments,  methods, and processes of  achieving a resolution in a  project area.

The trainings involved 25  people and were conducted in the EPWP pilot districts of Chitipa, Karonga, Kasungu, Dowa, Nkhotakota, Lilongwe, Balaka, Chiradzulu, Phalombe and Blantyre.

The one day training also saw participants given hand sanitizers and disposable face masks which were provided by GIZ as a safeguard against COVID 19. The training also observed the one meter apart COVID 19 social distancing best practice.

Government has warned against inappropriate use of the K1.3billion Kwacha disbursed to local councils for COVID -19 interventions.

The caution is stated in a communication issued by the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) addressed to all 35 councils in the country. In the statement Executive Director Alifeyo Banda says the resources should be utilised for the intended purposes according to accounting procedures and the regulatory framework.

Banda warns local authorities to ‘strictly follow guidelines’ as provided by Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the NLGFC. The Executive Director further says councils are required to report utilisation of the resources on monthly basis without fail.

In an interview, Linda Kapanda Finance Manager at the NLGFC said Public Finance Act guidelines demand that all funds should be used for intended purposes according to accounting procedures which do not change according to funding.

Kapanda says the resources were approved for local interventions by the Presidential Committee on COVID 19. The K1.3 billion was released by the Department of Disaster Management Affairs in the Office of the President and Cabinet through Treasury to various councils.

In the disbursements, Blantyre and Lilongwe District Councils have received K85 million each, Karonga, Mangochi, Machinga, Zomba and Mwanza have got K60 million each, Mbelwa district councils have received K50 million, Lilongwe city and Blantyre city have got K40 million each, with the rest receiving K30 million kwacha and Luchenza Municipal council, K20million.

The NLGFC is a constitutional body established under section 149 (1) of the republican constitution to mobilize, distribute and ensure efficient and effective utilisation of financial resources among local authorities for efficient and effective service delivery and development.

As the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) is ready to implement the pilot Enhanced Public Works Programme (EPWP), communities led by their chief in Kasungu’s Mphazi catchment area have committed to be best performers in the programme.

Group Village Head Sinde of Traditional Authority Chidzuma in the district told NLGFC in an interview that his people are ready to implement sub-projects in the EPWP and want to transform the area which is facing problems caused by environmental degradation.

“As a traditional leader I have always been ready because when the programme was introduced I and the people received it. Right now we have committees, by laws and projects and now we are eager to do the work,” said GVH Sinde.

The chief was all pumped up after watching a documentary on Njira Watershed Management which shows how people in Balaka and Machinga came to deal with environment degradation in their areas.

“We have seen how they have done it, but for us we will do much better because we are united and committed to work and improve our area,” he said.

One of the community members Rose Phiri said she cannot wait for the implementation of the programme in the area as she has learnt from the documentary that money they get after working in sub projects can be saved or invested.

“Money that community members who have been selected to work in the sub projects can be put to good use by starting small businesses and joining village savings and loans, in the end acquiring assets for our households,” said Phiri.

EPWP national coordinator Stanley Chuthi said implementation of sub projects in the programme begins this August.

“EPWP provides social protection to poor people as such we will proceed with implementation and will make sure that we follow all the preventive measures of Covid-19 as put by government,” said Chuthi.

The climate smart EPWP focuses on conserving natural resources in order to create quality and sustainable community assets through a holistic catchment management approach.

It is being piloted in Kasungu, Lilongwe, Dowa, Nkhotakota, Karonga, Chitipa, Chiradzulu, Blantyre, Balaka and Phalombe.

Story credit: Vincent Khonje, District Information Officer, Kasungu

Members of Toleza Catchment Committee (CMC) says it will leave no stone unturned and no one behind during the implementation of the Enhanced Public Works Program (EPWP).

The committee told NLGFC  in an interview that it has accommodated both the youth, middle aged as well as old people in the committee that is responsible in looking after activities and resources of EPWP.

“When we were first briefed on the project some months back, and told that there will be need for people both male and female of different ages to be in the Catchment Management Committee, we touch based and agreed that we take on all ages on board.

“We believe in the youth of this area, that is why we incorporated some of them, and there is no way a committee could be complete without the middle aged and the old as well, said Eleson Hideni one of the committee members.

“We believe that we cannot be talking of development, when the young ones are out of it, we need to instill sense of ownership in the youth so that when all of us are gone, they should take care of the initiates being done now, said Ester  Wasimbwa one of the foreman.

On her part, one of the youngest members of the committee Delifa Chisambo, said she always has passion in developmental activities in her area, and it was her wish that she is incorporated in the committee.

“ I am happy to be part of the exciting journey of bringing back the lost glory of this area through the EPWP, we have had projects coming to this area, but this particular on is so special, so many trainings, empowering the rural people themselves with responsibilities.

“This we know is challenging us so that we do not have anyone to blame if things do not materialize as expected,” she said.

According to Delifa, the area faces a lot of problems, be it drought, floods, fall army worm, just to mention a few, but with the various interventions that the project has aligned to bring to the area, she is sure that the area will be a better place tom live for the generation to come.

The Local Government Finance Committee is piloting the Enhanced Public Works EPWP in 10 districts in Malawi as a result of the environmental degradation that has contributed to poverty in many areas.

Through the EPWP various interventions to improve land degradation will be implemented which many people in the rural areas have been struggling to provide for themselves.

Story Credit: Mary Makhiringa, District Information Officer, Balaka.