By Robert Nayeja

Nsanje, January 31, Mana: National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) has advised Nsanje District Council to implement its strategies in 2024-2025 financial budget in order to embrace increase in its revenue generation.

Financial analyst at the NLGFC, Andrew Banda, made the advice in Blantyre on Tuesday during a 2024/2025 budget review session.

Banda hailed Nsanje Council for putting in place strategies that will help to enhance revenue generation but asked the council to ensure that it should work towards achieving its plans.

“We hear a lot of good plans from the councils, year in year out, but nothing much on the ground. We are hoping that the council will take the advice given and do revise the budget for the betterment of the people of Nsanje,” he said, adding there was need for the council to put much effort on revenue mobilization to raise enough resources for effective service delivery.

He further said the budget review exercise was critical as it had the potential to help the local authority to utilize financial resources accordingly to avoid audit queries.

The financial analyst then advised the district council to work out on debt that included accumulated water and electricity bills.

Nsanje District Council Chief Accountant Clifton Kabambe expressed optimistic that the strategies which the council put in place will help to increase its revenue base.

“We are still exploring how we can improve our revenue generation through involvement of various players,” he said.

Kabambe acknowledged the council's failure to collect enough revenue to settle its outstanding bills including utility bills.

“Our plans to boost revenue include introducing motorbikes and pushbikes operators’ fees, as well as making sure that our rest houses are operational,” he added.

Speaking on behalf of the District Commissioner, Nsanje District Chief Environmental and Natural Resources Officer James Lichapa thanked NLGFC for the positive input and good advice during the budget review.

“We acknowledge that we have a lot of work to do based on the recommendations and we are going to make it,” he said.

Nsanje District Council 2024/2025 budget is over K7 billion compared to 2023/2024 period’s budget which was above K4 billion.