Malawi Ministers get Covid-19 allowances, compensate on salary cut

Cabinet ministers  are  drawing allowances for coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic assignments, it has been revealed  after  government spokesman had denied  the  matter but an internal communication at Capital Hill has revealed  the taxpayers are  financing travel allowances for the ministers and their travel party.

“May controlling officers submit this morning [Monday] to the Ministry of Disaster Management Affairs, by way of memos, all officials and support staff accompanying the ministers, indicating names, name of banks and account numbers and vehicle registration numbers for processing of allowances and fuel arrangement,” reads the leaked  communication seen by Nyasa Times.

The internal communication on  field trips  further reads : “ The contact person for these transactions is Mr Dyce Nkhoma, deputy director  of response and recovery [Ministry of Disaster Management Affairs and Public Events].”

Nkhoma has confirmed  that he is coordinating the funds  but that Office of the President and  Cabinet (OPC) is the one which is “responsible for the budget and funding.”

The issue of allowances comes at a time  when President Peter Mutharika ordered a 10 percent pay cut for himself and his 32-member cabinet to cushion the impact of coronavirus on the economy.

But while the government is to direct the resources to the fight against the virus pandemic,  the ministers in Covid-19  Committee are  in self-enrichment drawing allowances together with members of parliament belonging to the Committee on Health for the  field trips on pretext of assessing preparedness of Covid-19 at district level.

Minister of Information, Civic Education and Communication Technology, Mark Botomani, a member of the Cabinet committee and official government spokesman, who recently branded issue of allowances as fake news, has refused to immediately comment on the revelations.

Botomani may come up with a spin on the matter later.

Cabinet members earn large sums of money beyond their salaries through allowances and other benefits.

And the Covid-19 is being turned into an allowances spinning exercise and have been taking trips to various districts nationwide to pocket allowances and cushion themselves from the salary cut.

Critics query government that instead of reaching out to the vulnerable people and cushion them against the negative impact that has come about because of COVID-19, the Special Cabinet Committee are taking advantage to enrich themselves.