In a move to strengthen decentralisation, the government has, beginning this financial year, devolved the responsibility for processing and transferring funds for Other Recurrent Transactions (ORT) and Development budgets from the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) to Local Councils. To support this transition, the Department of the Accountant General, in partnership with GIZ, has sponsored training for local council directors of finance and their deputies, aimed at deepening their capacity in the use of the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS).
A cross section of the participants
Speaking to #MBCDigital, the Director of IFMIS, Masauko Kumwenda, said the devolution of responsibilities will improve efficiency, as each council will now directly handle its own funds. Kumwenda noted that the new responsibilities come with their own demands, making the capacity building session timely.
“The success of IFMIS implementation depends not only on the functionality of the system, but also on your leadership, oversight, and commitment to ensuring that financial transactions are processed accurately, efficiently, and in accordance with established procedures,” he said.
He further stated that the training would strengthen the directors understanding of the Funding and Payment Management module, as well as other key aspects of IFMIS that support effective budget execution, financial reporting, internal controls, and accountability.
Masauko Kumwenda-Director of IFMIS
In her remarks, the Director of Finance for Mangochi District Council, Martha Kabambe, praised the training, describing it as timely.
She noted that in the past, payments and purchases were often delayed due to the previous processing procedures, but now that the councils will be in control, all activities will be handled promptly.
This transition marks an important milestone in strengthening decentralisation and improving financial accountability at the local level.
By Geoffrey Chinawa
