Ndola City Council adopts the proposed K244 Million Budget for the year 2022

The Ndola City Council has adopted the proposed K244 Million Budget for the year 2022 with K26 million allocated towards Public Health and Environmental Protection programmes.

The budget has been forwarded to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development for approval.

The 2022 Ndola City Council budget was adopted during the Special Council Meeting held in the Council Chamber yesterday.

According to Assistant Public Relations Manager – Waluka Mwaekwa, this year’s adopted budget represents an 88 percent increase compared to the 2021 budget which stood at 130 million.

“About 46 percent of the required revenue to execute the budget inevitably heavily depends on locally generated funds to be collected through local charges, licenses, permits, charges and other charges. While 12 percent will be funded through the Local government equalization funds (LGEF) and 42 percent is the Constituency Development Fund (CDF),” Ms. Mwaekwa stated.

“The 2022 Ndola City Council budget was adopted during the Special Council Meeting held in the Council Chamber.This year’s budget represents an 88 percent increase compared to the 2021 budget which stood at 130 million. This is due to the inclusion of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) that has been increased from K1.6 million to 25.7million for each of the four constituencies,” she said.

She said the budget has taken into account issues of community development, school bursaries, women and youth empowerment programmes to be financed through Constituency Development Fund.

“The Constituency development program which represents 42 percent of the budget translates into 102.8 million of the K244 million budget. The Constituency development program is meant to address issues of community development, school bursaries, women and youth empowerment programs,” Ms. Mwaekwa said.

The council has proposed that patching of potholes, construction of earth retention basin, discharge drainage lining to mitigate effects of climate change, maintenance of markets, street lights among other activities gets a 15% allocation.

Road maintenance is one of the issues that raise public concerns in Ndola.

“The Ndola City Council budget has also allocated 15 percent of the budget towards housing and community amenities which focus on patching of potholes, construction of earth retention basin, discharge drainage lining to mitigate effects of climate change, maintenance of markets, street lights among other activities.Education and skills development has been allocated one percent meant to cover the cost of Community skills training centres (such as Mushili, Kabushi, Chifubu and Mine Masala) and provide early childhood education in the vulnerable communities,” Ms. Mwaekwa said.

She concluded:”Other areas were allocated as follows; three percent towards Local Governance, two percent towards Integrated Development Planning, two percent towards Recreation, Culture and Religion, six percent towards Public Order and Safety, 12 percent towards management and support services and resource mobilization was allocated six percent.”