LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawians on social media are scolding Vice President Saulos Chilima for planing to take 40 delegates to USA for United Nations Economic and Social Council Forum for Financing Development conference.
The Maravi Post understands that Chilima this month plans to travel to New York in America with 40 delegates for meeting slated for 25 to 28 April, 2022.
According to a document The Maravi Post has seen, the vice president will travel with 26 members of staff including 13 security officers, six special advisors, an executive advisor, two accountants, two secretaries, medical officer and director of administration.
The trip will also see five delegates from the ministry of finance including the minister responsible, Sosten Gwengwe, secretary to the treasury, debt and aid acting director, deputy director for revenue policy division and chief economist from the treasury office.
On the other hand, four delegates have been selected from the ministry of foreign affairs whereas the National Planning Commission has one representative who is the senior development planning officer.
Apart from that, two delegates are from the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and other two media personnel from the ministry of information.
The tour is expected to cost taxpayers money MK216 million when the country is still struggling to stabilize its economic status with the citizenry complaining about the high cost of living.
“This is what happens when you have a weak President. Everyone does as are pleased,” says Wanangwa Chikazinga Nyirenda.
Ernest Jnr Khombera adds, “Chilima has start acting childishly. We cant spend our taxes in this way, that’s a big, no”.
The Economic and Social Council Forum for Financing Development, is an intergovernmental process with universal participation mandated to review the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and other financing for development outcomes and the means of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The event brings together heads of state and government ministers and high-level government officials as well as senior officials of international organizations.