Malawian Economic and Health experts take on government on budget preparation

By Dorica Mtenje

LILONGWE (MaraviPost): In preparation of 2023-2024 budget, Economic and Health Experts have challenged  government to come up with a realistic microeconomic framework that can easily be aligned with the Malawi 2063 pillars for the betterment of the country.

The experts made the remarks in Lilongwe during Budget consultation meeting with the Minister of Finance, Sosten Gwengwe.

On his part , LUANAR Economist, Henry Kakwamba has asked government to register every small business as one way of generating tax.

Kakwamba said the country should stop looking at Agriculture as a farm activity.

He said their need to link producers and farmers to the market.

On health perspective, Malawi Health equity Network (MHEN), George Jobe has call upon government to allocate part of toll gate correction to health sector.

Jobe said there is need of health budget increase from 10 percent to 15 percent to meet Abuja budget declaration.

He said there is need of introducing a levy on Visa in line with health sector financial out cry.

He call upon government to allocate a carbon tax pay to the health sector as they lobby for it.

He also call for an increase in sexual reproductive Health funds to 1.5 billion.

He said there is need for special budget for wash project to contain the further spread of cholera which has highly hit the country.

Minister of Finance , Sosten Gwengwe said very impressed with the inputs as they will help in the diversity of the budget.

Gwengwe said going forward they will be taking the inputs and use them as an assumption in the budget.

He said the suggestions will help the ministry to come up with a budget that is of the interest of all Malawians.

This is second budget consultation meeting by the Ministry of Finance as it was first held in Blantyre, seconded by Lilongwe to be finalize in Mzuzu.