Northern Region Water Board (NRWB) has cancelled a scheduled meeting in Nkhata-Bay where the board was expected to spend K13 million on board members involved in shortlisting candidates for the position of Chief Executive Officer.
NRWB was expected to send its board members as well as some employees to Nkhata-Bay for a two-day meeting.
According to a budget for the meeting, board members would have collected K1.4 million in transport, accommodation and sitting allowances for the meeting.
The budget which leaked on social media led to public outcry, forcing the board to cancel the Nkhata-Bay meeting which was scheduled to start today.
Board chairperson Frank Mwenifumbo, one of the officials who were expected to collect allowances, confirmed the cancellation but said they did not flout any legal provisions in the preparation of shortlisting.
“The board in concert with the line Ministry of Water and Sanitation has postponed the exercise to respond to the public outcry on the cost of the exercise,” Mwenifumbo told The Nation.
He added that the meeting will now likely be held at NRWB head office in Mzuzu in order to costs.
Other NRWB board members include Florence Nthakomwa Ngabanira Chatata, James Mwaisemba and the Reverend Douglas Chipofya.
Officials from Statutory Corporation Department, Department of Human Resource Management and Development and the Ministry of Water and Sanitation were also part of the 15-member delegation for the shortlisting exercise.
NRWB is reported to have lost K13.8 billion between 2020 and 2022.
The board recently announced a 50 percent water tariff hike.
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