MACRA board ignored Information Minister Gospel Kazako’s advise not to go to Dubai
Insolent MACRA board of directors ignored and defied line minister’s advice not to go to Dubai for an orientation workshop and instead do it locally to save money.
Infomation Minister approached the board when he wind of the news that the board members were going to Dubai for training but they rejected his proposal and proceeded with the trip.
In an interview with Nyasa Times Kazako said tried his best to advise the board on the trip but they did not listen, clearly committing an offense of “insubordination warranting dismissal.”
Said Kazako: ” I found the trip to Dubai for training very expensive and I duly advised the board against the idea and I repeatedly asked them to think twice, but my advice was completely ignored.
“This is well recorded and minuted. If we need to change things in this country we must do things differently. The President has sent a strong message on this” added Kazako.
In his speech Friday in Lilongwe, President Chakwera acknowledged that he received a report on the matter from his information minister, Kazako and he was dismayed with the board’s decision.
This means therefore that President Chakwera upon receiving the report from Kazako he decided not to take action against them but rather to ask them to change.
HRDC chairperson Gift Trapence in an interview said: “The president appointed the board members and therefore he must dismiss them as they have proved that they are a rubble that needs clearing.
“When the president says, MACRA board directors need to change, what does he mean? Change what?”
Added Trapence said: “Trapence said by asking the board to change is in itself an admission that they are doing or they have done something wrong and this why we are demanding that he must dissolve this board and appoint new people.”
Macra board of directors are said to have squandered a staggering K46 million of taxpayers money for attending an unjustified two-week orientation workshop in Dubai.
It is established that every Macra board member is entitled an external travel allowance of US$480 per day, which is equivalent to K386,400 at the exchange rate of K805 to a US dollar – and this means that for the two week period, each board member pocketed not less than K5,409,600.
In total, all the five board members got not less than K27, 048,000
Expenditure for air tickets for all the five was about K7.5 million as each air ticket cost about K1.5 million and on calculations, it shows that Macra spent about K34,548,000 for the board’s allowances and air tickets.
Nyasa Times established that in total, the institution spent around K46,282,250.
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Your gospel kazako authorized a small group of Macra board to go to Dubai and that small group is the one that actually went. If I were pastor Chakwera I would fire gospel kazako for misinforming the nation.
Ziriko
46, 000,000 ndi ndalamanso yoti mpaka dziko ligwedere nazo. Anthu akuba ma billions sakumangidwa bwanji. Kodi za 6.2 billion ziri pati? Nanga 17.5 billion idayenda bwanji? These billions ndi zomwe ife tikufuna kuti timve….but we can’t hear anything chifukwa anthu okhudzidwa ndi akuluakulu ku boma, andale ndi atsogoleri. 46million kachaninso tatiuzeni nkhani zenizeni osati they ignored my advice. They could have spent the same amount here in Malawi. What would you say. Just pang’ono, a contractor was given equipment to use in disinfecting the state house but was paid contractual amount in full….in excess of 100 million. Ndiye ka 46m… Read more »
K46m is alot of money to be wasted. We need the money back and be put into society’s productive projects
Kuyiphwekesa K46 mita? K6.2 billion ndi K17.5 billion mukuyinenayo is made up of tima K2 million, K10 million, etc adding up to billions. Ma billion onsewo sanabedwe ndi munthu mmodzi… You get my drift, baba?
Imeneyo ndiye Tonse Allaince at its best
This action by the minister snd president really sets a standard that abuse of this nature will not be tolerated . An example to other wasteful board members
These board members must pay back the money and be fired .
Malawians, let us wake up, this Country should never go to sleep.I commend the social media and whistle blowers, CSO’s who blow these irresponsible acts of plunder out to the public. Lets also find channels to feed this information to donors, whether formerly or informally. The least we need are Governments, and leaders like Tonse and his Chakwera, Nor the DPP and his Mutharika’s. Let us take these messages to our communities through platforms like churches and other gatherings. Show them and I repeat preach to them in time before elections how resources / tax payers monies and donor funds… Read more »
Gospel authorized a smaller entourage and that’s the one that went
I don’t know where this lack of decision making by our President is taking us to
And it is being alleged in some circles that the costs are way beyond the projected MK46million. Perhaps, some entity well placed/ versed should do a thorough check on the monies that were involved in this trip. We may realise that we are being sold a dummy of understatement in the MK46m. ‘Truth will out now or later’
This is unacceptable. We could have purchased vaccination for covid and other necessary medical equipment for our hospitals. The board need to be punished for not understanding the problems of our country.