Chongwe council in NAPSA arrears poser

...As NAPSA rejects debit swap for K20m arrears

CHONGWE Municipal Council owes the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) K20, 000 ,000 in unpaid monthly members' contributions prompting it to propose a debt swap.

This came to light when the town clerk, Mr. Mulowe Sishumba delivered his report during a full council meeting held in the council chambers on

Monday.

Mr. Sishumba told the council's second ordinary meeting that the local authority had proposed a debit swap for the arrears which was earlier agreed.

However, NAPSA rejected the offer after an evaluation of a proposed piece of land was valued at K7,000,000.00 by NAPSA, an amount it felt was far below the arrears, consequently throwing the local authority in limbo.

Mr. Sishumba said the council had since decided to engage a valuator from the Ministry of Works and Supply and hopefully that this would help to bring the two parties to the same footing.

He said this process had further delayed the offsetting of the outstanding payment which included penalties. He insisted that, the local authority had valued the piece of land at K21,000,000.00 and as such the valuation by NAPSA could not be accepted until the proposed valuation was done.

However, the councillors wondered how the arears were left to accrue to such high levels when this was a statutory requirement.

Katoba ward councillor, Charles Moyo asked the town clerk to explain the anomaly of the non- remittance when funds were being deducted from employees.

The town clerk had a hard time explaining the puzzle which did not go well with the house. The councillors who contributed to the debate were not satisfied with the explanation from the town clerk.

Meanwhile, when asked for clarification by the Daily Nation, the council assistant public relations manager refused to comment on the matter claiming that, the town clerk ably delivered his report and as such she was not obliged to add or subtract to the report.