The controversy over ADMARC’s proposed K3 billion purchase of 100 tarpaulins has intensified, with critics accusing the state grain trader of invoking fears of maize losses to divert attention from questions over value for money. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has halted plans to award the contract, worth nearly K30 million per tarpaulin, while it investigates […]
A power struggle is said to be tearing at the top of the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc), with sources alleging that deputy Aubrey Sumbuleta is trying to push out Chief Executive Officer Ben Botolo. The claims come from unnamed sources described as high-level institutional insiders. None has been independently verified, and Mr Sumbuleta […]
Malawi’s state grain marketing body is facing explosive questions tonight after shelling out a staggering K2.97 billion for just 100 tarpaulins — a jaw-dropping K29.67 million per tarpaulin — in a deal now engulfed by uncomfortable questions over political connections. Social and political commentator Stanley Kenani has blown the lid on the astonishing price tag, […]
The chief executive of cash-strapped state grain trader Admarc has spent about 10 months living in lodges at the corporation’s expense. Ben Botolo, a former secretary to the Treasury who was appointed in December last year, has yet to move into the official house at Mudi residential estate in Blantyre. He says it is not […]
Ministry of Finance has lined up a whopping K50 billion bail-out package for financial troubled National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma), a government-owned company, and the issue has cost Secretary to the Treasury Ben Botolo his job, Nyasa Times can exclusively reveal. As first reported by Nyasa Times on Monday evening, Botolo has been replaced […]
Secretary to the Treasury Ben Botolo has been moved out of Ministry of Finance as President Peter Mutharuka has appointed Cliff Chiunda as the new Secretary to the Treasury, Nyasa Times understands. Chief Secretary Lloyd Muhara has already informed the Principal Secretaries (PSs) about the changes. The information gathered by Nyasa Times indicate that Botolo, formerly Commissioner for Disaster […]
Secretary to Treasury Ben Botolo risks arrest for contempt of court after he failed to turn up for a court hearing at the High Court in Zomba over pensions for retired Malawi Defence Force (MDF) soldiers. High Court judge Redson Kapindu summoned Botolo to explain to the court why the government was failing to pay […]
Malawi government has said World Bank has not released the K60 billion budget support from the World Bank, which was expected in August, has not be released, as the donors had raised some issues including the decision to proceed with the Salima-Lilongwe water project – whose contract was given to Khato Civils Limited that unveiled the […]
An announcement by Treasury that it has introduced a new system to control spending of public funds among government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) against a background of widespread cases of fraud, abuse and over expenditure has dominated the leading daily newspaper on Wednesday. ‘Treasury moves to control spending’ reads the headline in The Nation […]
Agriculture committee of parliament members have angrily reacted to the decision by Secretary to Treasury Ben Botolo not to appear before the committee when he was summoned. The committee chairman Joseph Chidanti Malunga said Botolo, who usually enjoys good working relationship with legislators, did not give reasons why he failed to turn up for the […]
Malawi government says it will engage the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank on the financing of the Salima-Lilongwe Water project. Ministry of Finance Principal Secretary, Ben Botolo in a statement madeavailable to Nyasa Times said the project was still in the offing and that it has not been abandoned. Major questions have […]
Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) has asked the government to bail out the state run power house with a K54 billion which it accumulated as a debt. This came to light during the ongoing parliamentary cluster meetings in Lilongwe. Secretary to Treasury Ben Botolo confirmed the debt. “But we are not bailing them now, […]
A senior government official has suggested Capital Hill might contact pension fund managers to borrow some money in order to fund the construction of some more hydro-electric power stations as a long time plan to ease the current electricity problems. Secretary to Treasury Ben Botolo said the pension fund has K500 million to K600 million lying idle elsewhere which […]
Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe is wrongly and unfairly accused by some civil society organisations (CSOs) pushing for his resignation over the controversial K4 billion to legislators, Secretary to Treasury Ben Botolo has told stakeholders during pre-Budget consultations in Mzuzu. CSO leaders are demanding President Peter Mutharika to fire Gondwe and […]
Malawi government intends to consolidate growth, harness inflation and improve the external sector to be in sync with the next Extended Credit Facility (ECF) with International Monetary Fund, Secretary to Treasury Ben Botolo has said. IMF head of mission to Malawi Oral Williams pointed out that despite the just ended ECF broadly achieving its macroeconomic […]
Civil servants, mainly those serving in the Malawi Police Service, National Assembly and the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining, will not have their August salaries on time, Nyasa Times has learnt. Secretary to the Treasury, Ben Botolo, said there will be a “slight delay” in payment of their August salaries. Botolo said the […]
Secretary to Treasury Ben Botolo has dismissed the scheduled protest match on Monday by former Malawi Young Pioneers (MYP) combatants, saying real MYPs were disciplined and could not organize protest matches. Renowned civil rights activist Billy Mayaya has organized the match in the Capital City to force the government expedite the payment of K1.6 billion […]
Government has told civil society organisations to engage in tax payment awareness in view of dwindling revenue making it hard for the government to fund the education sector adequately. Director of Revenue in the Ministry of Finance Kenneth Matupa said this on Wednesday when Civil Society Education Coalition, activists for quality education met him and […]