Karonga CCJP enhances Revenue Collection in Karonga District Council
Karonga CCJP has, through the CALGA project, been working with district council of Chitipa and Karonga on improving collection and management of locally generated revenues. These are already bearing fruits. During a review meeting with council members, revenue collectors market masters, market chairperson, ward councilors and finance committee held on Friday, June 23 at Viphya in Karonga district to review the current status of the locally generated revenue by the Karonga District Council from its markets within the five zones. It has been revealed that some improvements have been recorded and this has been largely due to the establishment of the revenue task force which closely monitors revenue collectors in zone.
Council members said that at moment, the council collects over MK500,000 per month from its markets unlike in the past when there was no taskforce as such total revenue collection was slightly lower. Despite some improvement, it was also revealed that the finance committee has not done enough work to civic educate vendors, chiefs and other members on importance paying revenue as there is some resistance from chiefs to allow council to be collecting revenue in such markets. The team among other resolutions established a task force to lobby with chiefs and also to embark in civic education market users on the importance of paying revenue The review meeting was orchestrated by the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) through its Citizen Action in Local Government Accountability (CALGA) with financial support from Tilitonse Fund through Danish Church Aid (DCA)