Vice President of the Republic of Malawi Saulos Klaus Chilima: Yes, we're going to do more for our economy and people

After engaging Airport Development Limited (ADL), Lilongwe Handling Company (LIHACO) and Air Cargo Malawi Ltd (ACM) in the morning, in the afternoon I engaged the National Construction Industry Council (NCIC) and the Roads Authority (RA) to appreciate the progress of reforms that they are implementing as well as identify new reform areas going forward.

Before discussing the reforms, I was appraised on NCIC's financial position. It was encouraging to note that the organization is in a good financial position.

 

I learnt that the council has posted surpluses in the past five years, subsequently enabling the institution to increase payment of dividends to the government.

Vice President of the Republic of Malawi, Saulos Klaus Chilima (left).Photo VPO/Diramakini.

On reforms, some of the areas that the council has been working on include the review of the National Construction Industry (NCI) Act as well as the establishment of regional offices to enhance service delivery.

 

Meanwhile, we have agreed with them on the need to review and amend the NCI Act to reflect modern and emerging needs in the industry. We have also noted that across the board, progress in some parastatals is being hampered by outdated legislation that make the institutions impossible to properly carry out some of their mandates.

 

To this effect, we have welcomed the amendment proposal, more so as an enabler towards a new reform area for the council as it aspires to become and renamed Construction Industry Regulatory Authority.

This particular reform area will bolster the council's mandate in monitoring the conduct and performance of construction players to ensure that there professionalism and integrity in the sector.

 

ROADS AUTHORITY (RA)

 

The final session of the day was with the Roads Authority (RA), an institution mandated to ensure that public roads - under their jurisdiction - are constructed, maintained or rehabilitated at all times as well as playing advisory role to the Ministry of Transport.

 

Just like other institutions working on legislation amendment reforms, RA is also geared to review the Public Roads Act so that it is updated to give it more mandate to enhance the management of public roads.

 

Just like we have assured others, we have also committed to help RA to have legislation that reflects modernity in the roads sector. So far there has been progress on this reform area and it is expected that the bill will be enacted by February, 2021.

 

Another reform area that RA is working on, is on the devolution of road network management to local councils especially those in districts so that the Authority only concentrates on crucial roads.

 

However, much as progress is being registered and there are clear timelines but I have cautioned the Roads Authority management team to seriously change the way it has conducted business in the past.

 

I have advised them to follow procedure in awarding contracts as well as sticking to their mandate which is to ensure that public roads - under their jurisdiction - are constructed, maintained or rehabilitated at all times as well as playing advisory role to the Ministry of Transport.

Have a great weekend. Also you can read below speech;

 

TONSE GOVERNMENT REPORT: Day 70

Fellow Citizens,

Herewith a few of the engagements I have had lately in pursuit of the SUPER Hi5 Agenda on your behalf:

1: SERVANT LEADERSHIP

▪︎ Got my Cabinet oriented and convened for the first time to deliberate on the transformative agenda of my Administration.

▪︎ Met the Ministers of Natural Resources, Lands, Agriculture, Justice, Homeland Security, Health, Foreign Affairs, and National Unity to track progress on set targets.

▪︎ Attended my second virtual summit of SADC heads of state where I accepted a mandate to serve as the chairperson of SADC from August 2021.

2: UNITING MALAWIANS

▪︎ Met senior chiefs from the districts of Mzimba and Nkhata-bay to brainstorm on how government and traditional leaders can work together to achieve national unity.

▪︎ Hosted a delegation of leaders of the Asian-Malawian community to secure their commitment to the task of national reconciliation and business integrity.

▪︎ Met the Bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi to formulate a joint-plan for facilitating mindset change for national unity and transformation

3: PROSPERING TOGETHER

▪︎ Attended a Webinar by Invest Africa to attract foreign direct investment, resulting in the investment group committing to come to Malawi in 2021, and one investor pledging 30 million dollars towards infrastructure development in the northern region.

▪︎ Met the National Planning Commission to follow up on progress regarding development plans, then launched the first ever National Development Conference.

▪︎ Spoke to the President of the Millennium Challenge Corporation about the modalities of the second multi-million dollar Compact to revitalize Malawi's power supply

4: ENDING CORRUPTION

▪︎ Inspected the area 18 interchange and made recommendations to ensure this project and others to come to our cities do not waste or lose resources.

▪︎ Used the State of the Nation Address to send a strong message and outline strategies against the corruption present in all three arms of government.

▪︎ Suspended all MEDF loans and sent all senior management on leave until an audit of the program is completed in readiness for our planned reforms.

5: RULE OF LAW

▪︎ Reinstated General Vincent Nundwe as Commander of the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) to restore public confidence in our constitutional order.

▪︎ Worked with the Ministers of Education and Transport to get schools and airports reopened in compliance with government regulations this first week of September.

▪︎ Delivered my first State of the Nation Address to open the 49th Session of Parliament in readiness for my Administration's budget presentation.

At Your Service,

Lazarus M. Chakwera,

State President.