Goodall says unaware of Botolo’s Treasury ‘removal’ and Nocma bailout
Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe has expressed ignorance on the reasons why Secretary to the Treasury Ben Botolo has been transferred and that he was not aware that government is preparing a whopping K50 billion bail-out package for financial troubled National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma), a government-owned company.
Botolo has been transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on the same portfolio while principal secretary (PS) administration in the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) Cliff Chiunda now takes the Treasury mantle.
In an earlier report, Nyasa Times indicated that the issue of Nocma bailout has cost Botolo his job at Treasury.
But in a telephone interview with Minister of Finance Gondwe, he said the issue of Botolo being re-assigned came to his knowledge when a journalist was interviewing him after Nyasa Times first reported.
“I was not aware that Botolo has been transferred until a journalist was interviewing me on the matter,” said Gondwe.
Gondwe said he does not know the reasons for the reassignment.
However, the country’s purse keeper dismissed the issue of Nocma bailout.
“I don’t know anything about Nocma bail. It’s not true,” he said.
Sources had indicated Botolo was against some government officials arranging the “illegal bail-out” package.
Gondwe said the issue of Nocma bailout is neither here nor there.
The minister said Botolo as the controlling officer has the right to give opinion on where to approve funding or not funding for NOCMA.
He said Botolo is not the final authority, so, by giving his opinion cannot be the reason to be fired .
Nocma has been run down by supporting ruling party cadres with obscene contracts worth millions of Kwachas and has been fighting to take over importation of fuel products in the country from privately owned and efficient Petroleum Importers Limited (PIL).
PIL—a consortium of fuel importing companies—agreed to Nocma’s proposal to be importing 50 percent of fuel into country with the other half to be handled by Nocma over a 10-year period.
In 2015, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining announced that government had decided that Nocma would be the sole importer of fuel and would be selling it to owners of filling stations as it had capacity to keep about 60 to 90 days of fuel for the country following construction of fuel reserves in Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu.
The fuel reserves were built with a line of credit from India amounting to $26.4 million (about K19 billion).
Chief Secretary to Government Lloyd Muhara could not immedietly comment as he was reported to be in Ukraine.
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This Goodall Gondwe is too old to know what is happening in government. He is too old to even know his name. He is dandruff he is demented and he is useless to still be incharge of the finances of the country. He is as old and demented as Mutharika. Past working age. As dead as a stone. He wears dampers. He uses Zimmer frame to walk. Useless people like these how can they ran Malawi government whose population is three quarters under twenty years old. Where are the youth professionals in various departments to run this young nation. Give… Read more »
CALISTA BINGU MUTHALIKA ANANENA KALE KUTI MWAKULA! NDE ZITI IZI TSOPANO?
If indeed the whole Minister of Finance was not part of the decision to relocate ST then if i was him(Minister of Finance), i would have resigned yesterday.
ADADA GOODALL GONDWE APA MWASANGIKA KUTI UCHEKULU NIMATENDA AKULU CHOMENE. NADI MA DECISION WOMUTCHAMAZYA BEN BOTOLO KU MINISTRY KWINU GHAPANGIKENGE NA TUNYAMA TWACHINA BEN PHIRI TWAMA DEGREE GHAMUMAKWALALA UMU.
IMWE NA ANYINU A PITALA AZAKA 80 KALELANINGE ADZUKULU KUNYUMBA.
😅 vizukuu vili ku merika., their real home
Is the removal of PS done without the knowledge of he Minister? When Botolo started hand-overs did he not inform his boss about the change of Ministry. We have dead Ministers in Malawi who are receiving free money for no work done. this is the reason why we must change Government this year.
The right doesn’t know what the left is doing!……. Koma DPP yatikwana mwamva inu…….change is coming very soon!
So who is behind it. DPP ikutikwana Mmalawi muno. Ndalama za campaign. Name and shame should start from OPC.
Mbava .
This is a sign that the big man Mr Gondwe is working from his retirement. How can a transfer/posting of a big man be done without the knowledge of the minister. You people have taken Malawians for granted for a long time
Athuwa ndi zitsilu akupanfa ngati madolo, wina unva I was not aware, wina I was on my way to karonga I don’t know anything.. had it been it was Dausi’s office akadakanalatu .I was not aware I was on my way to kanengo truck inagwidwa ndi chamba… athu atikwana… they have to go… koma ena adzamangidwe basi
Kkkkkkkk King of Zamunda when are you retiring?
Kikkkkkkk ahahahahahah, Coming to America???
Shithole country
Under a shithole of a president