Ministry of Information and Digitalisation says the devolution process that it is undertaking will reduce challenges that District Information Offices encounter.
Director of Administration in the ministry, Hillary Namainja, said this on Saturday at Mponela in Dowa when opening a day-long meeting aimed at validating guidelines for the devolution.
He said district offices are failing to access direct funding from Central Government and other development partners because they are not part of the devolved sectors at the district council level.
“…the benefits of devolution are enormous to all sectors. It helps the council to work as a single administrative unit. Devolution [also] improves and enhances service delivery to communities and other stakeholders in the districts,” he said.
Malawi Local Government Association (MALGA) Executive Director, Hadrod Mkandawire, commended the government for finally moving to devolve District Information Offices, which he said are very critical in information management and dissemination in local authorities.
Balaka District Information Officer (DIO), Mary Makhiringa, thanked the ministry for the move, saying DIOs in some councils were not taken as part of the council because they were not devolved.
Government started devolving some powers to councils in 1998 and currently, 21 ministries, departments and agencies have already been decentralised.
By Andrew Mkonda, MANA
