LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Zomba legislators have accused President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse government of plans to kill old capital status by removing National Statistics Offices (NSO) from Zomba to Lilongwe.
Leader of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the August House who is also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Zomba Ntonya, Ned Poya made the remarks during his contribution to the International Development Association (SADC) regional statistics project authorization bill.
Poya said removing NSO is killing Zomba as the city will only remain with prison and mental hospital
.
Poya observes that Statistics office brings in more development to the district as many survey organizations joined the municipality to get closer to the NSO offices for projects.
“In other countries, not all government agencies head offices are put in the capital city as what Tonse Alliance government is doing currently. This is not right,” said Poya.
Concurring with Poya, Zomba Chisi legislator, Mark Bottomani asked Tonse government to reverse the decision of moving NSO offices to Lilongwe as it will kill the welfare of Zomba community.
Zomba Central MP, Bester Awali also argues that the city is already a small township which is currently sustained by the presence of NSO as more companies are ready to settle for the projects in line with statistics.
Awali observes that removing headquarters from all over the districts countrywide will kill the livelihood of many Malawians in the districts
Parliament passed the International Development Association (SADC) regional statistics project authorisation which will allow the minister of Finance Sosten Gwengwe to receive MK19 billion from the International Development Association.
The bill seeks to strengthen the institutional capacity of the NSO to produce, disseminate and use quality statics while increasing regional harmonization and collaboration.
