DODMA orders councils to return covid-19 funds

Human Rights Defenders Coalition HRDC says the decision by department of Disaster Management Affairs DODMA to recall the 17.5 billion kwacha covid-19 funds from councils may cripple interventions on the pandemic.

According to the communiqué, all councils and covid-19 clusters must return the money to DODMA account except ministries of health and education.

But HRDC national coordinator Luke Tembo in an interview with radio Islam says recalling the money is not a good idea now because Malawi cannot afford to disturb interventions being implemented to fight covid 19.

As such, Tembo said “government must instead seal all loopholes to ensure that all covid funds are used for the rightful purpose.”

This is happening as investigations on how the 6.2 billion kwacha covid 19 funds were managed by clusters and district councils are ongoing.