The North West Public Independent Conciliator, Simon Fai Tamfu, has issued a stern warning to Mayors in the region, accusing them of different forms of extortion, including charging for civil status documents.
In a communique dated January 9, 2024, Mr Fai expressed dismay over the persistent reports of extortion of the public by some Mayors, highlighting their violation of the law.
The communique specifically pointed out the violation of Section 17 of the 1981 Civil Status Registration Ordinance, which states that the “entry of a certificate into a civil status register shall be free of charge”.
These civil status documents include birth, death and marriage certificates.
“Apart from extorting money from citizens for the issuance of these documents, we have noticed that some Mayors, acting as Civil Status Registrars, go as far as affixing communal and fiscal stamps and even pictures on these documents in violation of the regulations in force,” Mr Fai said.
Simon Fai, in this light, has urged Mayors to, “…respect the laws and desist from engaging in unethical practices.”
The Independent Public Conciliator stressed the importance of compliance with ethical standards, reinforcing the commitment to building a culture of good governance for sustainable peace and development.
As part of the efforts to ensure compliance, Simon Fai Tamfu announced upcoming field visits to all councils in the North West Region.
These visits aim to assess the ethical conduct of the councils and address any issues related to extortion or other unethical practices.
However, specific dates for these field visits were not provided in the communique.
The move by the North West PIC addresses an issue that has been going on not only in the North West, but in other parts of the country as well.
The Public Independent Conciliator position was established following the Major National Dialogue of 2019, tasked with settling disputes between users and regional or council administrations.
Additionally, the body plays a crucial role in conducting investigations on the functioning of regional and council public services, ultimately contributing to the enhancement of governance practices.
