JB government is intact, says Malawi presidential aide
In the wake of spiraling economic malaise coupled with rising inflation, the government of President Dr. Joyce Banda is very much focused on addressing all thorny issues the country is facing, presidential aide Rev. Malani Mtonga told a rally in Chileka, Blantyre on Friday.
Mtonga said the Joyce Banda administration has scored highly on responding to people’s needs citing the handling of the just ended civil servants strike, drug shortage, Electoral Commission debacle, normalizing fuel situation, availability of forex and creating an enabling business environment.
Worsening economic crisis
On the worsening economic situation, Rev. Mtonga said Banda’s administration is working hard to bring back the economy on track through the implementation of Economic Recovery Plan (ERP).
He further added that the current government got rid of draconian laws soon after it took over from late Bingu wa Mutharika.
“When President Dr. Joyce Banda took over office the country’s fuel reserve tanks were dry to the bottom. Today isn’t it amazing that we are able to have reserve stocks for a three month period? queried Mtonga.
Rural community empowerment
On the empowerment of rural communities, the presidential advisor explained that currently the Malawi government is implementing several projects aimed at uplifting the living standards of poor Malawians.
He cited as an example of the ongoing social cash transfer which rolled out some few months ago in some parts of the country.
“Apart from social cash transfer, we also have the presidential initiative which is implementing other important projects like legume seed distribution, pass on goat and cow projects as well as irrigation to ensure the country achieves food security,” said the advisor.
Presidential initiatives
Mtonga further said President Banda is appalled by the shocking poverty levels in the country. He added that it is in same vein the president introduced the presidential initiative on poverty and hunger reduction with the aim to graduate farmers from subsistence to commercial farming.
“Malawi’s poverty statistics have not been pleasing at all. As such it is for this reason that president Dr. Banda saw the need to empower small scale farmers by enabling them to directly benefit from her initiative through the distribution of assorted legume seeds,” articulated Mtonga.
He added further that the safe motherhood initiative is aimed at reducing maternal deaths by at least half by end of 2015 in line with United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
Bingu’s projects to be continued
Meanwhile, Mtonga maintained President Banda administration’s commitment to sustain projects it inherited from the Mutharika reign provided they are to the benefit of Malawians.
He cited the continuation of subsidy programme as one of the examples.
On education, the senior aide told the people of Chileka that the current government will never tamper with academic freedoms at all levels as was the case previously.
Mtonga, a serving director of religious affairs in ruling PP, further explained that the president in her state of the nation address pointed out that the living standards of teachers will be improved by giving them incentives.
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