By Chisomo Kambandanga

NKhata Bay, February 14, Mana: Community Development Officer for Nkhata Bay District, Jacob Moloko, says the council is reconstituting area development committees (ADC) and village development committees (VDC) in the district. 

This comes following concerns that absence of such community structures is greatly affecting development activities, as implementing partners struggle to recognize who to work with at community level.

Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, Maloko said the council had already reconstituted 11 out of 19 ADCs in the district and was set to finalize the whole exercise by end February.

"With a directive from the Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture, VDCs and ADCs were dissolved in September 2023 across the country. However, councils were tasked to reconstitute these committees as soon as possible and Nkhata Bay has made progress regarding this process," he said.

While applauding some development partners for financially supporting the council to quicken the exercise, Maloko pleaded for more support.

"We thank our implementing partners, such as World Vision, Temwa Organization and Livingstonia Synod AIDS Program for timely support they have given the council in reconstituting the 11 ADCs but also hopeful of more support from other partners who are promising to come in," he said.

Chairperson for civil society organizations (CSOs) in Nkhata Bay, Micheal Mwanachawa, said the CSOs were also aiming to support in capacity building of the new ADCs and VDCs for effective implementation of project activities.