Action for Peoples’ Voice (APEVO) in conjunction with Nkhotakota Concerned Citizens have summoned Nkhotakota District Council for an interface meeting over missing council vehicles and a bus depot which is not being used for months now.
APEVO Secretary, Abdul Rashid, told Malawi News Agency on Monday, when the group’s members presented a petition to the district council, that they are seeking an audience with council officials so that they discuss issues on various problems affecting the development of the district.
The petition that was addressed to the district Council Chairperson, District Commissioner (DC), Director of Administration and Director of Planning and Development (DPD) cites concerns such as missing vehicles at the council, dejected bus depot, proliferation of Burundians who ply businesses in the villages, operation of Nkhotakota community radio, and state of ambulances at the district hospital.
“We are worried with the dejected state of Nkhotakota Bus terminal and the unruly operation of passenger vehicles in the district.
“Plus the possibility of creation of a provisional market area behind the bus terminal to carter for vendors who sell their merchandise along M5 road during the evenings,” read the petition in part.
According to Rashid, it is so unfortunate that since its establishment the bus depot is not being used to its full potential.
He said the depot could have helped the council earn income to run other developmental projects in the district but it is not being used saying there is negligence from the council authorities which he said needs to be sorted out.
Meanwhile the concerned members have given Nkhotakota council a day to respond to the petition and engage the groups on issues they presented in the petition.
Secretary to the DC, Charity Chamdimba received the petition from the concerned members and assured them to deliver it to the relevant authorities when they are back in the office.
Director of Administration (DOA), James Tembo acknowledged receipt of the petition saying they are yet to start acting on some of the concerns raised such as the replacement of Nkhotakota community radio board members.
Tembo said the council officials are expected to meet the APEVO and Nkhotakota Concerned Citizens within the week in order to look into their petition content.
The groups said the meeting which they called for is not political but one way of solving pertinent issues which have stalled the awaited progress of district development.
APEVO is a movement whose mandate is to defend human rights and promote human dignity.
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