Mchinji District Council approves K1.3 billion budget
Mchinji District Council Wednesday approved K1.3 billion for the 2017-2018 financial year which the office of finance in the district presented during a full council meeting.
The draft budget has shown that among other sectors, the agricultural sector has been allocated K61 million; water resources and development K5 million; management and administration K367 million; gender equality and economic empowerment K15 million; environment and climate K12 million, labour and manpower K12 million and sports and culture has K5 million.
Despite approving the 2017-2018 budget some representatives at the meeting were concerned that the finance committee failed to produce a comprehensive report of 2015-2016 financial year.
Member of Parliament for Mchinji North East, Alex Pompopompo Chitete said the district needs a District Development Plan and Social Economic Plan to inform its progress.
He said in the previous budget the Council Rest House was allocated with K16 million for renovation but the report established that K18 million was used and the work remains unfinished.
Mchinji District Commissioner Rosemary Nawasha acknowledged the concerns raised by the participants saying for time she has been at the council she has already noticed some shortfalls in the way financial issues are being done.
She said the district is lacking monthly financial reports for the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 financial years a thing she said contravenes public financial management regulations.
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