MCP attacks exporting youth labour, wary on University of Malawi

Malawi Congress Party (MCP)  has  condemned  government’s plans to export 100, 000 youths to work in South Korea, saying the Joyce Banda administration’s is offering “false promises” to end unemployment and ease on poverty.

MCP spokesperson on finance in Parliament Joseph Njobvuyalema said this when he was responding to the 2013/14 budget statement that was delivered last Friday.

In his speech titled “Driving a false economy with counterfeit characteristics” MCP spokesperson on matters of finance the Budget Statement is silent on expenditures for boosting youth employment.

“The youth comprise a majority of our population and we cannot continue to offer them lip-service by not allocating specific funds for their employment opportunities.  This Government is offering false promises to our youths. Promises of jobs in other countries like South Korea and Dubai while nothing is happening to create jobs at home, is put simply, policy mediocrity,” said Njobvuyalema in his strong worded speech.

Opposition leader John Tembo (Left) and Njobvuyalema: Attacks PP government
Opposition leader John Tembo (Left) and Njobvuyalema: Attacks PP government

“When jobs are exported, it is not the Malawi economy which will grow. When human capital is sent abroad, it is not Malawi’s taxes which will grow. When our youths are flown out of this country, we are simply creating brain drain and loss of labour which we need for a broad based economic recovery,” he added.

“In fact, Mr Speaker, it is laughable and unbelievable, because the more this Government is sending out our youths, the more people from other countries are coming to fill the space vacated by our youths.

“Foreigners are flocking into Malawi because they see massive opportunities in this country. Why is it that this Government is unable to see these opportunities available locally?”

Mr Speaker Sir, what the youths of this country have always longed for, is meaningful opportunities for economic empowerment right here at home.

According to Labour Minister Eunice Makangala, Malawi and South Korea have signed an agreement and Malawi labour and security officials will open offices in South Korea to oversee the programme which will initially run for four years and ten months.

But Njobvuyalema said it is possible to provide the youth with sustainable business loans, proper training, and a good education that meets the demands of contemporary careers.

“The problem Mr Speaker is that this Government is not willing to invest in education for our youths. That is why our Universities are shut down again and again and nobody seems interested to have them open and running again.

“What this Government is interested in is to turn our youths into modern slaves by selling them off into voluntary slavery.”

The MCP lawmaker also spoke on University of Malawi situation, expressing concern “with the way our Universities are being managed or mismanaged.”

He said: “These centers of academic excellence have turned into centers of academic inactivity. Every now and then the colleges are being closed.”

Njobvuyalema said part from the Students Loan Fund which parliament will discuss, he recommended recommend that Government should find lasting solutions to the inactivity of the universities.

“If Government cannot manage, let them honourably handover leadership to able hands and the MCP is surely ready to bring back the lost glory of the universities in Malawi,” he said.

Njobvuyalema strongly trashed the budget, saying it is close to a raw deal, urging government to “urgently make corrections” to the financial plan “before you drag all Malawians into a fiscal abyss.”

“Government should not mess the budget simply because time is over and it’s time for them to pack and go,” said Njobvuyalema.

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