LILONGWE (Maravi Post)—LILONGWE (Maravi Post)— A two-day media orientation workshop has commenced in the capital Lilongwe, where the World Bank is briefing the local media on its operations in the country.
According to Bank’s communications officer for Malawi, Zeriah Banda, it has lined up the media orientation workshops in all the major cities of Malawi starting with media practitioners based in the capital Lilongwe.
Among other things, the media have been oriented on how to access vital information about World Bank undertakings in Malawi on their website, and also to register with the bank on their website for easy access of Bank’s materials such as press releases.
In her presentation, Banda said that the Bank no longer imposes conditions as it was in the era of the structural adjustments programme, where some countries cried foul of being dictated on what to do without taking into account their particular situations.
She said that today, the Bank engages government officials and together agree on how best to execute different development projects.
However, the communications officer said that the Bank reserves the right to demand sound financial management, failing employs its measures to ensure compliance in as far as sound financial management issues are concerned.
On this, Banda informed the journalists that the pilfering of government resources, which was dubbed cash-gate by the local media made, the Bank to stop its direct budgetary support to the Malawi government, although the recent visit by Malawi’s Vice President to the Bank’s official responsible for Africa, Makhtar Diop, assured the Malawi leader that the Bank is strongly considering to resume direct budgetary support.
Nevertheless, in the absence of direct budgetary support, the Bank embarked on skills development projects in the country with the aim of increasing access, market relevance, and results orientation of supported skills development institutions in agreed priority areas.
The projects, according to Banda, are being implemented at some universities and technical institutions in Malawi.
This includes establishing new satellite learning centers at Karonga, Lilongwe, Mulanje and Balaka. The bank is also helping in developing curriculum for open and distance learning programs.
On day two which is the last day of the workshop, Banda said that the Bank will dispatch the journalists to appreciate some of the Bank-funded projects in such districts as Dedza and Mchinji.
The media orientation workshop has drawn participants from a variety of reputable media houses in the country.