Malawi Pres. Banda says determined to clamp down harder on corruption
Malawi President Joyce Banda has assured her government’s commitment to fighting and rooting out corruption and abuse of office in all sectors of the economy.
Addressing members of Public Affairs Committee (PAC), Banda said her commitment to fighting corruption could not be underestimated.
PAC noted that the perception on prevalence of corruption in Government still persists.
“There is a perception that contracts are awarded to those that are close to government machinery and perhaps those that have close links with the ruling party. We wish to appeal that if this practice exists, it should be avoided and stopped altogether so that all Malawians benefit based on merit,” PAC appealed to President Banda.
The religious grouping appealed for continued fight against growing corruption levels in the country.
President shared with PAC her efforts in curbing corruption in Government.
“The Government has introduced stringent monitoring mechanism of resources in all Government departments. This includes the implementation of the Integrated Finance Management Information System, evaluation and monitoring of procurement and award of tenders and improved Automated Tax Administration,” Banda informed the PAC delegation.
She informed that this year alone, Government has saved US$16 million from Fertilizer Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) alone.
Through the Ministerial Delivery Meetings a lot of issues bordering on corruption and abuse were exposed and corrected.
The President said she also appointed the Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Auditor General in an effort to fight corruption
She assured PAC and the nation that her commitment to clean up the country of corruption, abuse of office, fraud and proliferation is deepening.
The President said she has directed the Auditor General to build capacity in his department by filling up all vacancies with professional staff and to upgrade the information technology in his department to prevent abuse and interference by those officials have been sacked.
She also pointed out that the Ministry of Finance is overhauling the payment system and tracking and sealing loopholes for fraud and abuse.
This year’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) report puts Malawi on number 88 out of 176 territories, representing a 12-step improvement from last year’s report.
Official corruption and organized fraud had become “entrenched in the past years” in Malawi, the president’s office said in a statement on Sunday after budget director Paul Mphwiyo was shot and severely wounded Friday in an attack that was apparently related to his efforts to fight corruption.
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