The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) under Karonga Diocese has said lack of transparency and accountability in public funds is leading to misuse of resources.
This was revealed on Friday in Karonga during a meeting of councillors organised by CCJP on presentation of Citizen Action for Local Governance and Accountability (CALGA).
Speaking in an interview, CCJP development desk officer Deodatus Muriya said the report will help to bring transparency and accountability in communities on development funds such as Local Development Fund, Constituency Development Fund and District Development Fund.
“We are satisfied in some projects we are monitoring since we launched this project. Through this project we will be monitoring so that every month we should release reports.
“But still in some projects there is no community participation and transparency and accountability in some developments,” Muriya said.
He added that there is no transparency and accountability in some projects resulting in some councillors being not aware of the projects being done in their communities.
“The report will make the community to participate in development projects such as Local Development Fund (LDF),” Muriya said.
He said lack of community participation in the development projects is resulting into abuse of resources by the project implementers.
“The project intends to build capacity of communities so that they are able to hold duty bearers accountable,” he said
Chairperson of councillors in the district Ernest Mwalughali said lack of transparency and accountability remain a major challenge resulting in mismanagement of funds as well as poor standard of development in a community.
“I agree lack of transparency and accountability in our communities is resulting in substandard of developments and mismanagement of resources.
“But this meeting will help us to monitor all projects done in our communities and participation of communities will be also done,” Mwalughali said.
The report shows that Msongwe Shade Market, Wovwe Health Centre, Galileya Health Centre and Thawilo health centre took time to finish because of lack of transparency and accountability.
