Kidu slams govt over funding

National, Normal

COMMUNITY Development Minister Dame Carol Kidu has slammed the government for lack of funding, saying it may force the department to close shop.
She told parliament during budget debate that although there was recurrent budget for the Department of Community Development, there was no direct government funding in the development budget to implement programmes.
Dame Carol said the allocation of K97 million in the development budget was, in fact, donor funding that the department cannot access to drive its programmes.
“It is impossible to drive government policy against that budget.”
She said with the economic growth in the last eight years, it was not good that the department did not get a share of development funds from the national government.
Dame Carol had appealed to provincial governments to assist the department in their respective provinces.
She said the department had been making important inroads in policy framework and legislations on child protection, disability, women and the elderly which would now be hampered with lack of funding.
“Otherwise, my poor department might close up shop,” Dame Carol said.