Inconsistent funding to Department of Community Development in Eastern Province affects projects.

Projects being implemented under the Department of Community Development in Eastern Province have almost stalled due to lack of funding.
Speaking on a Budget Tracking programme this morning, Senior Community Development Officer, Charles Mumba, revealed that this year, the department has only received 45, 000 Kwacha from 819 thousand Kwacha allocated to the department in the 2015 National Budget.
Mr. Mumba says that the moneys received have only gone towards administrative purposes such as payment of utility bills.
He admitted that this has caused all the projects being run under the department like Women Empowerment and Food Security Pack FSP, to stall.
Meanwhile under last year’s funding, 91 percent of the budget allocation of 7.7 million Kwacha went towards personal emoluments, whilst about 4 per cent went towards projects.
Senior Community Development Officer, Robert Mwenda, revealed that from the funds allocated, the department was able to receive 100 per cent of the moneys allocated towards personal emoluments, whilst 80 per cent was received for implementation of projects.
But Mr. Mwenda says one of the programmes that may not be able to take off this year is the training of farmers in conservation farming under the Food Security Pack.
He says that the yield realized under the programme this year was not so good which were also hampered by poor rainfall pattern.
Mr. Mwenda said that this has made it hard to wean off the farmers as per requirement.