The Dowa District Executive Committee (DEC) has been tasked to support the execution of the District Development Plan (DDP) by providing an oversight role to ensure the plan achieves the developmental goals of the district.
Director for Planning and Development for Dowa Mercy Mpakule made the remarks Thursday during an ordinary DEC meeting held at MANAC in Dowa.
She said the DDP is an important blueprint providing guidance to the district’s developmental agenda, and the council has as such mandated the DEC to track implementation of the plan.
“Most of the times we can develop good plans, but to review on what we are doing in those plans is sometimes challenging. But one function of the DEC is to implement district plans.
“So as a council, we are making it a prerogative that the DEC be mandated to track the DDP through its meetings. Apart from having reports from the partners, in every meeting, council sectors will be presenting on progress of their activities in relation to the DDP.
“Through this, the DEC must track, review indicators in our DDP and where necessary make contributions, so that at the end of the DDP 5-year period, Dowa must achieve its developmental plans,” she said.
Mpakule then asked all partners in the district to make sure they understand what the DDP holds in relation to their field of work.
She said this would help partners to effectively contribute to the district’s aspirations, and have the capacity to track and contribute to the DDP.
Mpakule also urged partners to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the council to enhance reporting and collaboration.
In his remarks, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Program Manager for Self Help Africa (SHA) in Dowa Joel Ndeule commended the initiative saying it will help partners effectively track and contribute to the DDP.
“For example, the development will trigger partners in WASH, to act and see to it that the District Strategic Investment Plan (DSIP) which was launched in 2024 as a framework to operationalize key WASH priorities in the district is realized and effectively contribute to the DDP,” he said.
During the meeting, District Water Development Officer Fanny Muula presented on the status of WASH in the district from the year 2024 to date, on behalf of the District Coordinating Team.
“The district is making strides in provision of clean water and safe sanitation to the people, but we ask partners and stakeholders to come together to ensure this is not only a goal, but a guarantee,” she said. Others who made presentations on the day include SHA (DSS-RBF), UN Women on its Malawi Girls Can Code Too project and PIH on Health Systems Strengthening for NCDs in Malawi – Dowa
