By Christina Mkutumula

Chiradzulu, December 10, MANA: Graduating students from DAPP Mikolongwe vocational training have been urged to be job creators and not job seekers.

The call was made by National Project Coordinator for the Global Program on Skills and ProAgro Youth Project Malawi, Patrick Makondetsa at DAPP Mikolongwe Vocational Training in Chiradzulu on Tuesday when he presided over a graduation for students who have completed their training in crop and animal production but also in re-cycle, re-use and repair trainings.

He said the International Labour Organization (ILO) looks at improving quality apprenticeship so that they promote creation of jobs among the young people in both wage and self-employment.

“Now that you have finished your internship training expect us to follow you up and see what you are doing in your various communities and how you are applying the skills and knowledge acquired here. Make sure you bring an impact and change in your communities and display the skills and knowledge gained here at the institution.

“I am encouraging you that you need to get organized in groups so that you can tap whatever resources is coming your way. Usually it is easy to be supported when you are in groups other than individuals,” said Makondetsa.

He further explained that his organization expectations from the graduating students is to ensure that the skills and knowledge acquired would help them start their own businesses so that they be self-employed and self-reliant.

“With this programme we have reached out to 1,400 youths and our target was to reach about 1,500 youths, this means that we have almost reached 90 percent of our intended target,” he said.

Makondetsa said the International Labour Organization, Malawi office, works with different partners and are currently running two programmes namely; Global Program on Skills and Lifelong learning which is being funded by NORAD and the ProAgro Youth, which is being funded by IFAD.

“What we are doing now is a pilot program, we are trying to understand how we can reach out to communities and also for people who cannot go through the normal TEVET training programs.

“The main purpose is to ensure that youth and young people are able to gain the skills that will result in worth creation through wage or self-supporting employment,” explained Makondetsa.

Speaking in an interview, Country Director for Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) Malawi, Moses Chibwana said the trainings that the students undergo are vital for their communities and the country at large in as far as improving the country’s economy is concerned.

“The skills acquired here will not only accord the students wage employment or self-employment but also help in conserving the environment, looking at what they have gained from their Agriculture training. As DAPP we are honoured to be assisted with resources from ILO to train these youths. There are so many institutions who could have done this but we were chosen and do not take it for granted,” he said.

One of the students who was trained in crop and animal production, Brazio Manyamba, said the knowledge imparted to him in class was different from what he learnt at the farm. He said he has learnt a lot of skills on how to care for both crops and animals and that he will change and showcase his skills in his community.

“Before this training I used to help my parents in the farm and also run their business, but now once I get home I will concentrate on applying the skills I gained here. The good thing is that there is already land at home and will utilize it,” he said.

About 50 students graduated from the crop and animal production training and about 40 students graduated from the reuse, recycle and repair training. Youths from different districts of Nsanje, Phalombe, Blantyre, Chiradzulu, Dedza, Thyolo and Mulanje were trained.

By Petro Mkandawire

Blantyre, December 10, Mana: Group Village Heads (GVHs) in Blantyre have expressed gratitude with the establishment of Customary Land Committees (CLCs), noting that it is a tool to enhance transparency and accountability during the registration process of land parcels.

CLC is a committee consisting of six members established at a village level to oversee the land registration process, alleviate and regulate customary land-related disputes, ensure land security, and develop development plans, among others.

Speaking during sensitization on CLC law and establishment of CLCs at Majora, Gwadani and Imbwa in Senior Chief Kunthembwe’s area on Tuesday, GVH Imbwa said each week he receives four land-related cases; as such, CLCs will help to reduce land disputes, as people will know their land boundaries.

“When it comes to land-related issues people think that traditional leaders are prone to corruption, as such the introduction of CLCs in our communities will promote access to land-related justice which will improve all customary land-related disputes and it will lead to satisfaction during the registration process,” said Imbwa.

On his part, GVH Majora concurred with Imbwa, saying it is good that surviving family members will not be able to sell their parents’ plots, adding that the development has come at the right time when he receives about 12 land-related cases per month.

“I am happy that people will be able to elect their representatives who will assist them in the land registration process, a registered land is insured against illegal encroachment, as such I will urge my fellow community members to take the initiative seriously,” said Majora.

Over 50,000 land parcels have been registered in Chingale, Zomba since it started in 2021 and the registration is expected to register more land parcels by the end of the Malawi Watershed Service Improvement Project (MWASIP).

Deputy Commissioner for Lands, Anthony Tchokola Nzima said during the registration process the committee will act as a bridge between the Department of Lands and the land owners to avoid encroachment and provide an opportunity for people to legally own their land without conflict.

“I am encouraging all community members to register their land for security reasons since land is a key asset for sustainable livelihoods and economic development across the country. If people sell their ancestral land it means that they are putting the young generation at risk,” said Nzima.

According to Nzima, through CLCs over 45,000 land parcels for Nkaradzi catchment area at Kunthembwe are expected to be registered, adding that registration of customary land is free.

The initiative is being undertaken in Mangochi, Ntcheu, Machinga, Balaka, Zomba, Neno and Blantyre through the Ministry of Lands with support from MWASIP.

By Linda Likomwa

Phalombe, December 10, Mana: Participants for the Climate-Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (SC-EPWP) in Phalombe District have procured working tools and materials to help them in their work.

Speaking in an interview on Monday, CS-EPWP Project Facilitator in the district, Phalyce Maseya said all the 18 catchments in the district are done with procurement and they have already collected their tools and materials.

“Each catchment was allocated funds for procurement of tools, materials and first aid kit boxes and model catchments were allocated K8 million while larger catchments were given K12 million and all procurement processes were done by the Catchment Management Committee (CMC) while the council only provided technical support,” said Maseya.

Machemba Catchment CMC Chairperson, Ganizani Chimtengo said the tools and materials would assist them in discharging their duties and the first aid kits would help them in giving first aid treatment to those injured or those taken ill during the course of work before referring them to hospital.

“Ours is a model catchment and we have bought five first aid kit boxes as instructed and larger catchments have procured 10 and we have also procured personal protective gear like gumboots and gloves,” said Chimtengo.

The catchments have also procured wheelbarrows, buckets, cups, tree seedlings, sacks and watering cans, among others.

By Fostina Mkandawire

Salima, December 10, Mana: Minister of Information and Digitalization Moses Kunkuyu on Monday asked Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to release progress of corruption cases and arrests that have been made through the body's investigations.

Kunkuyu made the call in Salima at Kaphatenga Primary School Ground, during the commemoration of the 2024 International Anti-Corruption Day.

Kunkuyu said the public has the right to be updated on the progress of corruption cases that the body embarks on.

"It is always in the public domain when a person is arrested for corruption but such cases are not followed up," he said adding the public always holds ACB to account for every arrest made.

"Funds that are pumped at ACB are not meant for internal expenditures such as training and allowances but to pursue corruption cases until suspects are convicted," he added.

On his part, Acting Director General for ACB, Hillary Chilomba pointed out delays in remitting funds to the body even after receiving funding from the Treasury as one of their biggest challenge in the smooth operations of its services.

Chilomba also said many people are not coming forward to report corruption, describing it as a step backwards in the fight against corruption.

"People should not be scared of reporting corruption cases, no one is above the law, once a person reports a corruption case to us we will protect their identity, what we want is to be receiving reports from across the country," he said.

He also encouraged citizens to provide checks and balances on public institutions, especially at the district level when it comes to budgets and development projects.

"Every citizen has a role to play for the country to progress, the corruption fight should not be left to a selected few people, each citizen must be vigilant to follow cases of corruption," he said.

This year’s International Anti-Corruption Day is being held under the theme “reporting corruption a duty for all."

By Elia Chibwe

Lilongwe, December 9, Mana: Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Simplex Chithyola Banda, has underscored the need for the National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy in promoting transparency in planning and budgeting an action, as most of the actions will be done based on evidence.

Speaking during the launch of the National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy in Lilongwe on Monday, Banda said it is high time for the country to seek research and evidence based planning.

“Time is far gone that we can now be doing desk work; we need research based, evidence based in planning. For example, even when we are formulating the budget, we need to know how many people are there, what are their needs, so you do a lot of needs assessment.

“Why are you doing all those? It’s because you want to make sure that the action you are coming up with will actually tally with the needs on the ground. So, the monitoring and evaluation policy gives us a framework on how we can monitor an action, how we can evaluate the impact of action, the end result will be the results that are backed by data,” he said.

He said the launch of the policy marks a significant beginning of the journey of accuracy in terms of accountability and transparency when providing services to the general public.

He said the policy is the pathway to assisting people to measure their actions so as to know what needs to be done and what will be results and the ones benefiting.

“We need to know the impact of the action that we are doing. So, obviously we need to have your statistics as to measure whether the action is making an impact or not. Therefore, the policy gives us framework and its parameters on how we can measure an action and its result and impact.

“It also gives you the accuracy to planning as you can say poor planning means planning to fail. So, based on how you plan, you need to have data; you need to have statistics from measured action in the policy. This is a pathway that helps us to measure how we are doing things. Putting them under the national policy; you will standardize every action,” he said.

Representative for United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Malawi, Fenella Frost, said the policy aims to bring change in the country to achieve Malawi 2063 goals.

“Our work in performing monitoring and evaluation is not only about bringing change but also making a change that is positive and contributes towards an effective development trajectory for this country. 

“Monitoring and evaluation is there to understand what government is achieving, where and how improvements can be made to realize joint commitments in the aspirations of Malawi. It also goes beyond the global framework, it’s about demonstrating concrete impact in the critical sectors that support the population, including health, education, food security,” Frost said.

She said the policy is a reflection with global practices in development and management, which echoes the principles, laid in the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and improving public sectors of the country.

“It is my sincere hope that today’s launch of the policy is the beginning of an ongoing effort to make performance monitoring and evaluation a way to ensure continuous improvement in public sector, greater impact to our citizens in the country, and better value for money for government expenditure,” she said.

The launch was held under the theme of ‘Improving Public Sector Performance Through Evidence’.