Lilongwe Council staff gets new lessons in public works tracking system
National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) has trained Lilongwe District Counci staff to use a new system in the Mthandizi Public Works Project to help track how much work the beneficiaries have covered and pay them equivalently.
Speaking on Tuesday during the training, the committee’s monitoring and evaluation officer, Benjamin Kayala said the Mthandizi live monitoring system would instill sanity because previously, community members demanded wages on unfinished jobs.
Kayala said the new system will also help instill a spirit of ownership for the projects.
“There are always units in terms of what is being delivered. The previous Public Works Programme has shown that beneficiaries were after money and not the outcome of the work they are given to do,” he said.
He said ideally, the tool is aimed at tracking the amount of work beneficiaries cover as per project requirement which is to work 12 days in a month for two months and get MK21, 600.
Kayala added that there was need for council staff to be conversant with the system so that they don’t struggle to implement.
Director of Public Works for Lilongwe District Council, Willard Chirwa said it was a requirement that councils undergo training to effectively implement the project.
He said it would help the people involved to master the system and capture the relevant information.
“We rely on the council to convince the communities to sincerely commit towards the project and learn to work collectively and produce the best.
“This is being piloted and once it fails, that will be the end of the project,” he said.
One of the participants, District Community Development Officer, Annie Kamwendo said the system was a welcome development because it would help the council record the undertakings and be able to pay the beneficiaries accordingly.
Kamwendo said the previous Mthandizi had gaps because some benefited with little or no input.
Under Mtandizi Public Work people work 12 days a month for two months and get K21 600.
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