Minister of National Unity, Timothy Pagonachi Mtambo has said the country needs economic and industrial revolution in its quest of achieving middle income status.
He said this at Mzuzu University on Friday night during a public lecture by Kruger Nyambalo Phiri — titled ‘road to Malawi’s economic recovery: is the current state a problem of our own making?’
Nyambalo Phiri — a chartered accountant who also holds a Masters Degree in Digital Business obtained at South Africa’s Wits University — unpacked a number of causes to the stagnant low economic status which Malawi is facing and provided yet a good number of solutions that would help Malawi to recover economically.
Minister Timothy Mtambo
Among other things, he cited the selling of so many companies by the Malawi Government as one of the many causes to the dwindling of the country’s economy.
He also attested that the introduction of mega farms was one of the many ways that can lead to the country’s economic recovery.
Speaking in an interview, Mtambo stressed the need for mindset change as efforts are being made towards the country’s economic recovery.
“Mindset change is crucial for the country’s economic recovery,” he said. “Decisions should be made for the sake of the greater good and not our individual happiness.
“As a country, we must start producing because consumption without production is suicidal. It’s high time we brought the engagement about the economy and the future of this country public to all the people.
Participants to the public lecturer
“This is why this ministry was established so that we are able to effectively engage the citizens and capacitate them with various issues including economics. So for me, if our country is to move forward, we need a serious industrial and economic revolution.”
Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Mzuzu University, Professor Wapulumuka Mulwafu hailed the initiative by the Ministry to bring the public lecture to the university.
“It’s a good development that we can have a national conversation on matters that affect us,” he said. “Often times we get ideas from outside and people dictate what we should be doing as a nation.
“But for the first time, we are seeing that we have fellow Malawians that are opening conversations and that as a nation we can discuss matters that affect us and propose solutions so that we can collectively solve the challenges we have.”
