The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Wildlife, Michael Usi, has demanded that Mangochi-Salima Lake Park Association (MASALAPA) should produce documents and receipts to support claims that the association spent close to K5 million on materials for a teacher’s house it has constructed at Maganga LEA School in Salima.
Usi made the demand on Tuesday after he officially handed over the house to the Parents Teacher Association (PTA) and the school’s head teacher on Tuesday.
The handover of the house was part of the activities on his familiarization tour of the park activities under the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) in Mangochi and Salima.
Minister Usi stated that he had serious doubts that the house had cost the association such a huge amount of money.
“This is a classic example of a substandard work. And if you are saying you spent over close to K5 million, okay thank you so much. But I will need the receipts to ascertain this because I doubt it,” he said.
Usi said the government is worried with the substandard work some non-governmental organizations are delivering to Malawians.
“Let me warn you that the Tonse government under President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera will not tolerate corruption. It is absurd that the NGOs have the tendency of constructing substandard houses in the name of ndikumudzi kuno [this is a village]. Do teachers go to different training colleges for you to give poor quality houses to those based in rural areas while giving high quality ones to those working in urban areas? This must stop,” he warned.
MASALAPA board chairperson Brighten Ndawala, while conceding that the house is indeed of substandard quality, pushed the blame on the previous board.
“I am new in the board. However, I wish to assure the minister that we will produce the documents because they are still available,” said Ndawala.
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