VILLAGERS from ward 9 in Bulilima, Matabeleland South province, have expressed hope of forging ahead with their developmental projects following the successful opening of their ward bank accounts in order to receive money from the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (Campfire).
Ward 9’s Makhulela councillor Charles Ngulube told Southern Eye that the opening of the accounts is meant to unlock funds from council to complete several projects that have been put aside due to this mishap.
There has been a clash between the council and villagers over the disbursement of the funds, with communities complaining that they have not been getting dividends from Campfire projects for the past five years, hence crippling development in the communities.
Ngulube said the ward’s accounts for the concession were opened about three weeks ago to facilitate economic growth in his community.
“The matter has been resolved. It was agreed between council and the villagers that accounts be opened so that they can start receiving the funds. They were opened about three weeks ago and we now hope to complete our outstanding projects,” he said
He added: “We will now be able to complete the Mothershelter project in Makhulela Clinic, which had been abandoned for more than five years due to lack of funds.
“This is a project to cater for pregnant women. We have had a situation where pregnant women were now forced to deliver at home, while some on their way to hospital due to lack of accommodation at the hospital.”
Ngulube said they would also be able to continue with the construction of Dubuthe Clinic, which he said started last year.
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“The funds are there. We are busy mobilising resources elsewhere again. We have the hunter for the Campfire projects. The only challenge that we had is that we had no accounts with which to channel the funds,” Ngulube said.
He said the Twayitwayi Primary School project was going on well with the assistance of Khami Prison
“This project will culminate in the construction of a secondary school together with a clinic,” Ngulube said.
However, sources said the communities were supposed to get 50%, of the Campfire proceeds, 46% goes to the council, while the remaining 4% is meant for other stakeholders.
