State House dismiss critics over recruitment of Ministers personal spokespersons
State House has backed the provision of Public Relations Officers (PROs) for Ministers and deputy ministers saying the PROs will help in promoting the image of the ministers.
The Office of President and Cabinet (OPC) intends to recruit PROs for ministers and deputy ministers, a departure from a tradition whereby PROs are appointed to serve the ministry and not a minister.
The development has sparked criticism from commentators who view the new arrangemenr as “unnecessary cost” and duplication of efforts
But pesidential press secretary Brian Banda speaking during the weekly briefs at Kamuzu Palace said “there will be no conflict between the PROs in Ministries and those taken on board by Ministers.”
Public Relations Society of Malawi president Lewsis Msasa said “there will be overlaps and duplication let alone confusions.”
Governance commentator Makhumbo Munthali suggest that “a better approach is to maintain the position of personal assistant, but formally add the duties of PRO under that position.”
In a memo dated October 21, 2020 signed by Secretary for the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) ZangaZanga Chikhosi, he states that in the new arrangement, all ministers will have personal-to-holder PROs who will only serve as long as the minister is in Cabinet.
The OPC has since asked ministers to choose a person to fill this position.
Department of Human Resource Management and Development, which is copied in the communication, has been asked to prepare contracts for these new officers. The PRO will assume a grade lower than the ministers’ personal assistants who are on Grade G.
Why should Malawians have to spend for the prejudged bad image of ministers which the recruits will have to polish? Just employ ministers with good image and calibre. Do you mean to say you are at liberty to employ half baked ministers? This provision has serious financial and political implications that Govt will not be able to shoulder.
We said it that Chkhosi will mess up the civil s3rvice yet Chakwera said that he was rehired to bring sanity in the civil service. The man was part of the people who messed up things and now Chakwera rehired him so that he continues where he stopped.
Already bloating the civil service wage bill to add to the numerous appointments that this shitty government has done. If we need indicators of a government without direction look no further than this. I rest my case
Ma journalist nthawi yanu ndi imeneyi yopha makwacha paja mumadandaula zosowa ntchito, u PRO ndi umenewu.
Komatu komatu I thought ministers represent a ministry so one ministry will have 2 PROs really next we will hear ministers should come with their own staff all this in the name of appeasing party loyalists musatikwanetu inu a zonse
Absolute waste of hard earned tax payers money,which could have been used for medicine and many more essential items for our hospitals.we were promised change,but somehow things remain the same.i voted for a change,.
When you see MCP doing something that not even APM, in all his wastefulness, never contemplated then you should realise that something is wrong, very wrong. In just under 6 months LMC and his minions are so drunk with power that they think they can do anything with hard earned tax payers’ money. And the executive arrogance and tone deafness hasn’t been long in coming. However, it’s not too late for MCP to change course. The over-arching question should always be: Will this policy improve the lives of Malawi’s poor masses? If the answer is “NO” then that policy should… Read more »
Excellent ideas Zaya. Unfortunately very few governments anywhere think of improving the lives of the poor urban or rural masses. As you say, making even small improvements in their lives is relatively easy and can be much appreciated by all taxpayers and voters. Basic things like boreholes, better and not regularly absent teachers in rural areas; even basic medicines and considerate staff in health centres. These are all relatively easy to improve but can make a big difference in the lives of the suffering taxpayers. Even the starving person in a small village must pay VAT on almost every little… Read more »
Please whenever I hear analysis by Mankhumbo Munthali I laugh. This guy is but another spin doctor for the Chakwera government. Please stop consulting him. Mukuwononga objectivity.
Makani awa ndi amene ankapanga anzanu aja. Where is he now? If the ministers are good, it will show, no need for a laundry cleaner. Bwana mukapanda kuzitenga bwino mudzawona nyekhwe yaona anzanu