Vice President Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima has reiterated that for Malawi to achieve its aspirations in the MW2063 agenda, there is need to have sufficient and sustainable energy.
Chilima was speaking in Nkhotakota on Friday when he inspected progress on the construction of the 20 megawatts Serengeti Solar Power plant project which upon completion will supply power to over 100,000 households.
Vice President Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima
“This project means that the maize mills near Nkhotakota will not have to run on expensive diesel generators. Similarly, more energy availability will mean that barbershops, markets and restaurants in our communities will have more access to the electricity they need.
“Energy availability will therefore stimulate economic industries growth of our, job creation, wealth creation and development as a natural result,” he said.
The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has bemoaned the increase of child abuse cases such as child trafficking among others in some Child Care Institutions (CCIs) in the country.
Speaking on Thursday in Lilongwe during the program for dissemination of the report on monitoring the impact of Covid-19 in CCIs in Malawi, MHRC Commissioner, Dr. Bertha Sefu said that the development is worrisome.“We are worried with the increase of abuses in some CCIs, we have learnt with a great concern that in these institutions some children are being trafficked and others are beaten without proper reasons, “Sefu said.
MHRC Commissioner, Dr. Bertha Sefu
She added that, MHRC is currently monitoring the CCIs to make sure that they are following the required standards and children are being well protected.In her remarks, Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Director of Social welfare, Dina Gumulira said that the Ministry of Gender is currently developing regulations that would help to protect children in the countrys CCIs.Reported by Moses Nyirenda.
As part of celebrating day three of the twelve days of christmas , one of the country’s leading banks, National Bank of Malawi plc on Wednesday donated assorted medical items to Nancholi Youth Organization ( NAYO) at the organization’s clinic in Blantyre.
The items include, Amoxicillin, Panado, Mosquito Nets, Masks, Omeprazole, Lodine and Weighing Scales. Speaking when handing over the donation, Henderson Street Service Centre Manager Tamara Mtuwa said the donation was part of giving back to the community as well as celebrating the twelve days of Christmas with youths who are serving lives of many through Nancholi Youth Organization clinic.
She said, NB has been working together with NAYO for a long time and after the organization’s call to assist them with the items, they thought it wise to reach out and help just as they have been doing . ” Today we are here at Nancholi Youth Organization, donating these medical items as part of celebrating the christmas days together with the youths. We also received a call that the organization is lacking the items, hence the donation. We have been working with NAYO for a quiet some and we have been following-up their good works to the community, another reason why we are here today donating the items. We hope that these items will help people around here in Nancholi who access their medical help at Nancholi Youth Organization Clinic,” said Mtuwa.
In his remarks when receiving the donation, the organization’s Communications and Public Relations Manager Chifuniro Masamba thanked NB for the donation saying for the long they have been relying on well-wishers who help them with donations for them to operate without challenges. He said as a youth organization,they believe in providing friendly health services to the youths so as they grow health and contribute more towards the social-economic development of the country.
” As an organization, we are very thankful to NB for the donation as we will now be able to provide our services to our fellow youths without challenges. As a small organization, we have been relying on well-wishers like national bank to serve people around Nancholi and beyond. At NAYO we serve Youths with Youth-Friendly health services so as they live healthier and strongly contribute towards social-economic development of this country. Currently, we are running a palliative care, under five clinic, nutrition programs and a clinic. We also pay tuition fees for the underprivileged students who are secondary schools and colleges so as they complete their education,” he said. Masamba called on other stakeholders,well-wishers and the cooperates to emulate what National Bank is doing in the communities. He said the government is doing enough to help the communities but still needs extra help from the well-wishers and the stakeholders.
” The government is doing its best but my call is to cooperate bodies. They should go back in the communities they are saving and help because these are the people who are making their profits for them to grow. If we are to develop the country, we have to develop people and make Malawi a health nation. With the scarcity of medicine here at the organization’s clinic, people were forced to walk long distances to Zingwangwa Health Centre Gateway which are miles away from people in the surrounding communities of Nancholi. So, we are are very grateful for the early Christmas present,” said Masamba. Nancholi Youth Organization is a registered Youth Organization with National Youth of Council.
The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) says it is on the move to address issues of inequalities affecting women, children and people with disabilities in various places including in the work places and academic institutions in the country.
Speaking on sidelines of the panel discussion program which was organized by MHRC at Crossroads Hotel on Wednesday in Lilongwe, MHRC Commissioner, Boniface Massah said that inequality remains a problem in the country.“For instance in some companies you would see that both men and women are doing the same job but you will notice that women are being paid less than men or you would see that women are given more task than men just because they are women and this is pathetic,” Massah said.
MHRC Commissioner, Boniface Massah
He added that, MHRC is currently monitoring the inequalities in different institutions and communities and is working together with various stakeholders to address the challenge of inequality in the country.
In her comment, Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre Director, Emma Kaliya said that there is also a need of corroborative efforts, if the issue of inequality has to be addressed in the country.
Malawi’s Attorney General has announced that the contract awarded to Techno Brain in March 2019 to upgrade the passport issuance system and introduce the e-passport has been terminated and the company has been served with the notice today.This contract was worth USD$60 million.
Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda insists that government is not under any obligation to pay for the loss of profits following the termination of a contract .
Nyirenda has said this after government has served Technobrain a 30-day notice of contract termination based on Section 46(e) of Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Act.
Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda
According to Nyirenda the Act does states that government is not under any obligation to pay for loss profits but only for services rendered and goods supplied.
In 2019, the Government awarded a US$60.8 million (about MK50 billion) electronic passports contract to Techno Brain Global FZE for the supply of 800,000 passports.
The Tonse Alliance during campaign promised to reduce the passport fees to K14,000.
Last year, President Lazarus Chakwera blamed the Techno Brain contract for his government’s failure to reduce the fees.
