Malawi School of Government leads leadership drive for public finance officials

The government is seeking to strengthen the leadership capacity of senior officials in the Accountant General’s Department, through an induction programme designed to improve the quality of public service delivery.

The programme, being facilitated by the Malawi School of Government (MSG) in Salima, is aimed at directors and deputy directors within the department, and covers training in leadership, management and administration.

MSG director general Professor Lewis Dzimbiri said the training was intended to equip officials with the skills needed to make sound decisions and manage public institutions effectively.

Patrick Liphava, Principal Secretary for Administration in the Ministry of Finance, said strong leadership was essential if government institutions were to continue delivering quality services in the face of limited resources.

He called on the officials to manage public resources prudently and to guard against corruption, noting that their positions place them at the centre of government spending and service delivery.

Fwasani Ziwa, a deputy director in the department and one of the participants in the programme, said the induction would help sharpen the skills of officials and enable them to better fulfil their responsibilities to Malawians.

The training forms part of wider efforts by government to professionalise leadership within the civil service, at a time when public institutions continue to face pressure to do more with constrained budgets.