NGOs get Mushindamo council development challenge

GLORIA KANGWA writes

NON-GOVERNMENTAL organisations (NGOs) in Mushindamo that are fond of holding public advocacy meetings should consider funding some development projects in the area, says council secretary Pamela Zulu.

Ms Zulu said all the problems laid out by the public were well known together with the challenges of inadequate funding.

“This is a new district and like every other new district we are waiting for a stable and adequate funding regime. So if all NGOs will be doing is hold advocacy meetings without action plan on projects then they aren’t helping us”, she said.

She was speaking a full council meeting on development projects in the district implemented by Kwetu Voice for Change under a project called ‘Local Participation in Governance (LoPaGo) for three years’.

The project was being funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit(GIZ) Zambia.

Ms Zulu said if a better way or and an NGO could fund some of projects that could go a long in helping the council in development endeavours

She said Kwetu Voice For Change should also take note that the community could say anything when given a platform to condemn the condemn the council.

Acting executive director of the Kwetu Oliver Chilefu said it was clear that after the few advocacy meetings the organisation held in the district, development was lacking and that it was important to redress the matter.

He said among the 19 development projects set to be achieved by the council for construction of housing units at a cost of K900,000 to start in June did grip the attention of the organisation.

“In the few areas we visited like Kalindi in Musaka ward, Mujimanzovu ward and Kalilele ward people said they have poor road networks, lack of health facilities, water problems, they lack empowerment programmes to mention only but few challenges brought to our attention”, he said

Mr Chilefu said NGOs differed in that some were set to fund projects while others were there to gather data on problems in various areas.

He further urged the council to formally approach NGOs so that they could assist with the funding of some of its projects.