Over 200 NGO’s Risk Closure.
Some NGO Leaders Pose with the President on NGO Day last year.
At least 200 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) risk facing the law after 30th March this year, for failing to comply with the NGO Act.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Non-Governmental Organisations Regulatory Authority (NGORA) Edward Chileka-Banda, the institution has started engaging some of the local and international organisations on the matter.
“We want to create a partnership with these NGOs because we know they are complimenting government efforts in development, but this can not be achieved if we do not know how they are operating let alone some of the organisations are not registered,” Chileka-Banda explains.
He has told Capital FM online that NGOs that will continue to be non-compliant after the 30th of March this year will be deregistered while others will pay fines.
“We believe after engaging them we will see an improvement, we do not want to make these NGOs uncomfortable operating in the country but at the same time we want sanity and this is for their own good if they are to secure funding from donors,” he adds.
Meanwhile, Chairperson of the International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGO) forum Hester Mkwinda Nyasulu has pleaded with NGORA to help NGOs by engaging donors to be providing enough resources for external audits and administration in order for the organisations to comply to the law.
“It is the wish of every NGO to comply to the law, we would like therefore to plead with NGORA to help us lobby donors to be providing enough resources for administration and audits, otherwise most organizations are not complying due to lack of funding to do what is required of them by the law,” Nyasulu laments.
Since 2020, NGORA formerly NGO Board, produces an annual NGO report which highlights the contribution by different NGOs to the country’s development in various thematic areas
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