BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives (NONM) has asked Malawi government to remove tax attached to newly revised risk allowances.
After a series of nationwide protests, the government bowed down to demands of health workers in the country by, among others, adjusting upwards their risk allowances from a minimum of K1, 000 to a maximum of K60, 000.
The new rates indicated that health workers from grade HE to HI will be receiving a risk allowance of K50, 000 from K1, 800, workers under C will be receiving K20, 000 from K1, 000, grade HJ and HK allowance had been adjusted from K1, 500 to K50, 000 and grade HL had been moved from K1, 000 to K30,000. Health workers from grade HM and below are getting K25, 000.
But speaking during the international nurses day commemoration on Tuesday in Lilongwe, NONM President Shouts Simeza expressed his disappointment over the conduct of government which he alleged is deducting 30% tax from the risk allowances.
“We indicated that risk allowances should be tax free. So we have heard speculations that the risk allowances have been subjected to tax, and those who were supposed to be getting k50, 000 are getting k33000. That’s a big challenge. If it comes to be an official observation we will find a way of how to go about it,” said Simeza.
Reacting, Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) has said its duty is to implement government directive.
From April, 2020, health workers, especially nurses and doctors, had been pressing the government to consider revising their risk allowances and provision of needs when managing Covid-19 patients.
Failure by the government to satisfy their demands forced the workers to withdraw from work which brought chaos especially in central hospitals of Lilongwe and Blantyre.
