Performance Based Grant enhances service delivery at Salima District Council

Salima, April 27, Mana: Director of Public Works at Salima District Council, Harris Kumwenda, has commended Performance Based Grant (PBG) supported by Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) for enhancing collaboration and accountability among sectors.

In an exclusive interview on Thursday, Kumwenda explained how Salima District Council ensures it qualifies for the Performance-Based Grant after being assessed through Local Authority Performance Assessments (LAPA).

The PBG, funded by the World Bank, incentivizes local authorities to manage resources effectively and deliver responsive services to citizens.

He said through PBG, it has been established that implementing flagship projects should not be compromised by spreading resources to implement small projects that do not have required facilities and amenities, in the long run not producing the desirable impact.

Kumwenda cited an example of the first project that Salima District Council implemented through the first grant that the district received under GESD, which is Mnema Maternity Wing in the area of Senior Chief Makanjira.

"Construction of Mnema maternity required essential facilities such as staff houses, a dispensary, water tank and proper toilets, for it to be certified as a proper health facility that can offer quality services to the community," he said.

The council works collectively with Members of Parliament, Councilors, and chiefs to ensure transparency and community-centric developments.

"It is collective responsibility for us to better serve people; we work as a team, every head of sector has been given a role to play to ensure that we do not backslide and miss out on the incentive that is much needed to develop the district," he said.

Kumwenda emphasized that the PBG has enhanced the council's skills in planning, investment, budgeting, and procurement processes, which must follow stringent guidelines.

He added: "Spending under PBG has to follow stringent guidelines; these guidelines have taught us that we have to trickle financial discipline to all projects we are implementing, even District Development Fund and Community Development Fund projects."

Ward Councilor for Lipimbi West located in Salima North West, Ephraim Manthepa, said PBG has indeed enhanced service delivery because all affiliations are left aside when identifying projects so that the district should develop impactful projects.

Manthepa was quick to mention that the LAPA brought misconceptions and fears, adding that through rigorous trainings and district engagements, the fears were cleared.

He further said when time to identify the first project to be implemented under GESD came, it was therefore not difficult to understand the modalities for selection.

District Community Development Officer for Salima Samuel Chimwaza hailed gains actualized through GESD and said that community aspirations are being achieved, citing an example of how Village Level Action Plans are also incorporated in planning for the implementation of projects.

Salima District Council was the most improved council in terms of service delivery in the 2021/2022 LAPA results, scoring 82 percent and securing second position among 28 districts.

Currently, the council is implementing several projects, including the construction of Mnema Maternity Clinic, Chagunda Police Station and the upgrading of Salima Community Ground, all funded through GESD.