During a Media briefing session on the Land Governance Program being implemented by Lilongwe City Council (LCC), the council complained of residents who are non-committal where City rates are concerned.

Director of Planning and Development (DPD), Hilary Kamela outlined that City rates help the Council to raise funds in order to deliver various services to the residents, hence if unpaid, the council has challenges in garbage collection, fire fighting and other services.

The DPD therefore called on LCC staff to reach out to the residents and make them understand the important remitting their City rates annually. “If you can make a simple calculation on the monthly payments being made to security and private garbage services, you will note that the amount being paid is more than the amounts paid to City rates annually. If you add the amounts paid to the two services, you will find out that payments of City rates are much cheaper but are able to do that willing fully,” he explained.

Also according to the DPD, garbage collection and fire fighting have been a problem to the City due to unpaid city rates “As we are talking the Council is being owed K 9 billion in City rates and we need to develop a proper mechanism to ensure that the said amount is recovered for the effective delivery of services to the residents,” the DPD added.