Tag Archives: Finance Economic Planning and Development Minister Goodall Gondwe

Malawi, Top News

Malawi Govt launches MK14.6 billion 2018 census campaign

Maravi Post Reporter

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The United Nations (UN) on Wednesday said the government’s efforts to address growing inequalities, especially among the poor, will largely depend on reliable population statistics from the forthcoming 2018 Population and Housing Census.

Speaking on behalf of the UN at the launch of the census publicity and countdown campaign in Lilongwe on Wednesday, UN Women Country Representative, Clara Anyangwe, said, without accurate data, policymakers do not know where to invest in schools, hospitals and roads.

Anyangwe said, as the Malawi Vision 2020 expires in less than two years’ time, the 2018 census presents Malawi with a great opportunity to update its vision or create a new vision that is informed by reliable national statistics.

“We are all aware that a census is among the most complex and massive peacetime exercises a nation undertakes. It does not merely count people; it also measures fertility, mortality and movement, helping to predict demographic trends. And it can uncover inequalities in employment, education and wealth.

“Therefore, government’s efforts to address growing inequalities, especially among the poor, will largely depend on this data,” Anyangwe said as quoted by the Daily Times.

The National Statistical Office (NSO) needs about MK14.6 billion but currently has about K13.2 billion for the September activity and the UN expressed hope that more development partners would come on board to fill the budget gap.

Finance, Economic Planning and Development Minister, Goodall Gondwe, said precise data is crucial in development planning, adding that the government is confident that NSO will do a good job in the exercise to be conducted under the theme ‘Be counted – Leave No One Behind’.

Gondwe said it is important to prepare people on the questions that will be asked for them to be cooperative.

“There are some questions which will need people’s honest answers if our data is to help us make right decisions,” Gondwe said.

Commissioner of Statistics, Mercy Kanyuka, said the main aim of census communication and publicity campaign is to sensitise the public to the purpose of the census and to ensure the cooperation of people in providing complete and accurate data.

“A well-planned publicity campaign is essential to create a favourable environment for the collection of census data,” Kanyuka said.

She also said several aspects of communication have been considered and special attention has been paid to areas with cultural problems such as the existence of bloodsucking myths.

NSO is expected to employ 20,000 enumerators and 5,000 supervisors for the exercise, which will use handheld electronic gadgets, including tablets, in capturing of data.

Business, Malawi, Top News

Malawi Parliament nods to MK1.3 trillion revised budget

Lloyd M’bwana

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi Parliament on Thursday approved to trim K10 billion from the MK1.323 trillion 2017-18 National Budget to MK1.313 trillion with some departments and agencies having reductions some members said were not supposed to happen.

Surprisingly, there is an addition to vote 278 Unforeseen Expenditure which has received a MK10 billion boost.

But the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), which is currently in funding hardships, had its allocation of K12.2 billion reduced by MK1 billion, a development that Chairperson of the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament said is worrisome given that MEC is preparing for next year’s elections.

“MEC wanted more money for preparations in the 2019 elections. They are going through funding hardships as we are going towards the general elections, so deducting about K1 billion is a major blow to the commission,” said Thyolera.

The commission needs about MK42 billion to run the next general election in 2019, of which government has already released MK9billion.

Said Ansah, “Out of MK42 billion budgeted for the entire tripartite elections, a total of K9 billion has already been provided by government in the current national budget. This leaves a sum of K32 billion to be provided in the 2018-2019 national budget.”

Finance, Economic Planning and Development Minister Goodall Gondwe said what they have given the commission is enough for the year even though they know that the body is in need of a lot of money.

“MEC wanted more money we started to give them more money two years ago, we are hoping donors to come in, we will see how far we will go next year but for this year it is okay,” he said.
The minister also said the budget will continue to face some problems.

“We have about two problems—that MRA [Malawi Revenue Authority] makes up for the reduction of revenues, for the first half; and the dry spell could have devastating effect on the maize,” Gondwe said.

The revised national budget is MK9.3 billion less that the one was passed in June last year. Lawmakers approved 19 votes with very little scrutiny with some passing without a single query.

Leader of the House Kondwani Nankhumwa therefore observed that proceedings that led to the passing of the revised national budget had been fruitful with an assurance of effective implementation.