After ‘night shift’ Malawi MPs meet Friday full day: Committee for special mining fund

Member of Parliament who had a rare night shift on Wednesday to pass the Access to Information Bill will work extra time on Friday for full day instead of its usual half day.

Chilenga: Special fund to ensure development and not Cashgated Account Number One

The Business Committee of Parliament agreed on Thursday that the House should meet Friday from morning to afternoon, according to the announcement by Speaker Richard Msowoya.

Normally the House meets on Friday until noon when it adjourns for weekend recess.

“I wish to inform the House that Business Committee met yesterday, Wednesday, 14th December, 2016 to re-look at the business and programme expected to end tomorrow Friday, December 16, 2016.

“The Business Committee noted that about seven Government Bills are still outstanding on the Order Paper. Some of those Bills are very crucial to the extent that they are expected to be passed during this meeting of Parliament,” Msowoya made the communication.

He said the Leader of the House will therefore move a Motion to this effect at an appropriate time on Friday.

The Speaker said the Leader of the House also informed the Business Committee that consultations are underway for a possible extension of the meeting next week and that House will be informed on the outcome of the consultations

Meanwhile, the Parliament’s Natural Resources and Environment Committee ha proposed creation of a special fund for proceeds from mining transactions.

Committee chairperson Welani Chilenga said the mining proceeds instead of being channelled to government’s main bank account, Account Number One at Reserve Bank of Malawi, it should go to the special fund.

“It is difficult to monitor whether funds put into Account Number One really go to national development,” said Chilenga.

He was speaking during a meeting with representatives of mining activity communities in Lilongwe.

The meeting was organised by the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) in partnership with Centre for Envuronmental Policy and Advocacy (Cepa).

Chilenga proposed that the special fun for minining proceeds should be directly financing development projects in the country.

“In this way communities will benefit,” he said.

University of Malawi economic professor based at Chancellor College in eastern city of Zomba, Ben Kalua has supported the proposal by the Committee.

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Chambe
Chambe
7 years ago

Guys, you must learn more on this issue. Don’t settle for conclusions that the country will be worse off as a result. Proceeds like tax are for the national government but consideration should be focused on royalties which I believe should be the benefit of those areas where mines operate. You would better consult in countries like South Africa and Botswana to be well informed before you end up on silly decisions. We have seen it all about areas surrounded by tea plantations. Those companies used to pay Kamuzu lots of money leaving surrounding areas in dire poverty. There is… Read more »

kaka
kaka
7 years ago

Thumbs up!!! we are locking all doors of cashgate, enough is enough!!!!!!

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