BUKALO - The newly appointed CEO of Bukalo Village Council, Anna Lyamine-Sazita has pledged to ensure they submit their financial statements, as required by law.
Following years without a substantive CEO, Bukalo will for the first time be led by a woman, who yesterday addressed the council staff members and shared her expectations going forward.
During an interview on the sidelines of her acceptance event, one crucial aspect she promised to urgently address is to ensure the village council’s financial books are audited and submitted timely.
This comes after the deputy auditor general Goms Menette expressed concern regarding regional, town, and village councils that fail to submit their books as per the State Financial Act to build trust and ensure good governance.
He specifically touched on Bukalo Village Council as one such entity that never submitted its books.
Therefore, Lyamine-Sazita promised to pay more attention to ensure financial statements are audited and submitted.
“I will request and make sure our audit reports are audited properly. I need to study the financial books of the village council before I can make further comments,” she noted.
Through audit reports conducted annually, the auditor general’s office ensures to provide more information on how public funds are being spent and strengthening governance structures while ensuring the laws and regulations are complied with.
Bukalo chairperson, Simataa Mubonda expressed happiness that the council now has a substantive CEO. “To me, it’s like a birthday for Bukalo Village Council as it has been a struggle to find a substantive CEO. There have been hiccups because there was no administrator. We need Bukalo to grow.”
According to Mubonda, he is hopeful that the village council will now have audited financial books so they are in good standing which promotes good governance and accountability.
Lyamine-Sazita who served at Otjozondjupa Regional Council as control administrative officer for Otavi was also overseeing the administrative affairs of the Kombat settlement.
Other issues she mentioned include tackling revenue collection; municipal fees and bills; debt control; stakeholder engagement; local economic development; recreational facilities; sewerage system; job creation; compensation for the land among community members, and investment opportunities among others.
On land compensation, she said, “there are people who are not compensated for their land. We need to follow procedures and ensure people are compensated. We also can’t allow the community to construct structures that will bring down the village council. We need to elevate it and it is my wish to see Bukalo village elevated to a town council.”
Further, she said revenue collection is the backbone of all public, semi-public, and private sectors to be able to deliver without fail.
As a result, she said they will ensure that residents have continuous meetings with the council to inform them of the importance of revenue collection so the village council can function and grow.
On outstanding bills, she indicated residents will be reminded of the status of their accounts.
“Where bills are unpaid and our residents do not honour their obligations, the council will communicate with them and make arrangements that would result in them continue paying those bills by a certain margin until they have fully balanced their accounts by not allowing them to accrue more on their debts,” she maintained.
According to her, municipal fees will be identified in all revenue collection avenues and meetings made with the community from time to time to inform them about these fees and the need to pay these fees.
These fees range from assessment rates and taxes, water, removal of garbage, electricity, and fines among others.
Among the 14 candidates who applied for the top job, only five managed to make it to the oral interview, of which Lyamine-Sazita emerged as the best applicant among the four male candidates. –anakale@nepc.com.na