NVS boss wants PRA implemented

By JUNITA SOL GOMA
THE National Voluntary Service (NVS) of the Community Development Department is proposing that Members of Parliament should use the proposed participatory rural appraisal (PRA) programme when it comes to district funds.
NVS executive director Mark Mondia said the PRA would give the rural people the opportunity to identify their own needs, made plans and project proposals in line with these needs.
“At the end of the day, it is the people who get what they need and the money is used properly so there is development in the communities,” he said.
Mr Mondia stressed that PRA was a good method that MPs could use to distribute the K890 million to the 89 districts.
“A total of K10 million for a district is a staggering figure and needs professional handling.
“The Government has made a good decision by granting the districts.
“However, our main concern is that it must be used for the people’s needs and not what MPs think is best for their people,” he said.
NVS felt that with its expertise in rural community voluntary services delivery, it could successfully engineer a programme that would really benefit the rural population.
He said that if it was left to the MPs to decide, some would end up lending to their supporters and this would be a corrupt practice to do so.
“Many MPs are not very serious in fully utilising this money for the right purposes.
“Instead they may use this as a trial-and-error and waste the rural people’s money.
“NVS is confident that it can work together with both the districts and Government to ensure that the rural people really get what they want,” Mr Mondia said.
He also said NVS, under his leadership, would seek funding from donor agencies and other development partners to bring tangible changes to the rural communities in the country under the PRA programme.