Lusaka City Council says Government should consider giving the local authority grants that would enable it implement developmental projects in Lusaka’s peri-urban areas.
In an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka, Council Public Relations Manager Chanda Makanta said the Council makes about K20 million per month of ground rates from peri-ban areas out of which 35 percent is ploughed back into the same communities for projects like schools, health centres and other infrastructure developments.
Ms Mankata said the ground rates have not been revised over the years, saying people in peri-urban areas were still paying K10,000 bemoaning its inadequacy to meet the Council’s requirements to develop new structures.
She said there was need to improve people’s lives in peri-urban areas because of the huge population demand for improved services.
She observed that the ward development funds once properly used could help improve services among them the fight against contagious diseases.
Ms Makanta expressed regret that many times funds released by the Council were not used for the intended purposes adding that wrong people managed the funds hence rendering garbage collection difficult.
The Council PR Manager noted that the Council had received complaints George compound, Mtendere and Ngombe residents over the misuse of Ward Development funds.
Ms Makanta underscored the Council’s obligation to improve people’s lives through Ward Developments funds adding that these funds were not for the benefit of individuals but communities.
Meanwhile, Ms Makanta has warned against construction of structures in the city without Council’s approval.
She observed that illegal structures had mushroomed and were substandard making Lusaka city an eyesore.
Ms Makanta said the Council would not hesitate to demolish such structures.
demolish all the substandard structures and restore pride to lusaka. remove corruption at LCC
For God`s sake where does the remaining 65% go?
LCC is the most inefficiently run institution in the whole world, even Government operates better. These guys have massive opportunies for revenue, Chanda just touched on the rates, what about the close to half a billion they collect from Kulima Towewr, car parks in town, inter city bus terminus per day! where does it go? These guys are jokers, why don’t they issue municipal bonds and raise money from the stock exchange or they know they have no public credibility, their shares will not be bought!
I compare LCC to some confused person who neither knows who he is nor where he is. In an organisation where top Adminstrators do not know that they are the ones to make decisions, they are looking elsewhere. As time goes by the more confused they get. When a confused child grows up and if his confusion is unabetted, you will remain with a confused adult. That is LCC. Just look at those structures across the railway at FINDECO.
Council meetings should be open to the Public for you to see how shallow the discussions are.
In aclosed meeting any nonsence goes, how else do you find the type structures springing up.
Yes I believe council meeting should be open to the Public. The councillors in most cases do not stand for their people. Very few people know thier councillors and this has been going on for too long. The system must be changed for the good of the whole town and country at large.
The council system as is is prone to corruption. The Plan approval process is being abused. The number of plans awiating approval are in thousands. If you want immediate service you oil someone. Thats how it goes. Thats how you have those urgly structures right in the CBD. I wonder what our Politicians think each time the pass through that place! Can someone please put a stop to this rot.
The last time LCC revalued properties in Lusaka was 13 yrs ago. Owners’ rates are based on values of almost a decade and half ago, when it’s an open secret that property values have increased more than four-fold in that time, can you imagine? As if that’s not enough, ? of the properties in Lsk are not even on the rates roll! To that add other sources of revenue as #3 Mwiinga has mentioned; most of which one can collect even blind folded. But then, even in the midst of plenty water, a fool is still thirsty. That’s LCC for you. And they want grants from GRZ, my foot!
LCC has what I would call self tailored problems. Month in and month out wages and salaries have to be paid out from the same revenue sources and handouts. They have become comfortable in the rat hole. They dont want to come out of it! Nga wa shobelela ku nkhala musanga, ndiye ivi vichitika.
The problem with this country and LCC in particular, is that they are run by party cadres who know nothing, but to enrich themselves and their masters-politicians.
The most ignorant person in LLCC is Makanta.I do not know her academic background, but she is definately in a wrong post.Every she talks she expresses a frightening degree of ignorance in as far as the law amd municipal byelaws which establishes the council are concerned.She passes all council responsibilities to other institutions or to the general public.Most recently is her comment on banning of smoking in public places.Why pass the the duty of enforcement to ZPolice?Doesn’t council have the powers to closedown institutions defying the law?Mr Town Clerk, please find another informed person to do that important job!!
There are problems in almost the Local Authorities in Zambia.It is not so much the need for more funds but having committed people to run them and setting their priorities right.If the work culture being seen in the Local Authorities continues, then we have a very long way to go before we start seeing planed and orderly developments in our towns and Cities. The Parent Ministry still has alot of work in making sure the Local Authorities perform to our expectation.
mJpIPT