CHISENGA
By FLAVIOR CHISHALA
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LUSAKA Mayor Daniel Chisenga has supported a proposal to create a permanent Local Government Forum desk at the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Mr Chisenga, who is president of the Local Government Association of Zambia, also suggested increased funding to local authorities in national budgets for effective implementation of projects and delivery of quality service.
Mr Chisenga was speaking in Lilongwe, Malawi, during the Southern Africa Regional Conference held under the theme ‘Creating opportunities for developmental local government through regional engagement on local economic development’.
Mr Chisenga said this in a statement issued by Lusaka City Council assistant public relations manager, Brenda Katongola.
And Kadmiel Wekwete, the pro-vice chancellor at Midlands State University in Zimbabwe suggested that to successfully achieve local economic development in SADC, there was need for decentralisation.
Professor Wekwete said local authorities should be aware that as they planned their cities, there should narrow the gap or distance between where families in the informal sector live and where economic activities take place.
The conference aimed to encourage regional partners to embrace the local economic development, which was key in promoting developmental local government.
