National News

‘Why borrow to buy furniture?’

MCP chief whip Joseph Njobvuyalema on Tuesday asked Malawi Government to explain the loan for construction of Nkhata Bay District Hospital.

He questioned the rationale behind government’s borrowing to finance the purchase of furniture.

Njobvuyalema also wanted to know why the project is not being completed after the House passed at least three money bills for the same hospital.

“Why should we be approving money for a project which is not being completed?” he asked as he contributed to the debate on the bill in which government wants to borrow at least K2.57 billion ($8 million) from the Opec Fund for International Development to finance part of the hospital project.

Government is said to have already borrowed almost K3.4 billion ($10.7 million) for the same project.

Minister of Finance Ken Lipenga said the supplementary loan will go towards financing additional wards as well as purchase of equipment such as furniture.

But Njobvuyalema, who is also MP for Lilongwe Mapuyu South, was not satisfied.

“Should we really borrow for the purpose of buying furniture or for buying blankets, or to pay salaries?” he asked.

 

 

 

 

 

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