Chilima weighs in on job creation
Vice-President Saulos Chilima has urged human resource personnel in the country to implement programmes that would encourage people to create employment for themselves and others.
He said this on Thursday at the opening of this year’s Institute of People Management Malawi (IPMM) Lake Conference at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge in Mangochi District.
In an interview, Chilima, who is also Minister of Economic Planning and Development and Public Sector Reforms, said the country needs reformation and the “human resource profession” is key to reshaping the country.
He asked: “Imagine, if we run programmes that are meant to walk people out of employment and become employers themselves, what a secure future could we have?”
Chilima said, by the nature of their profession, human resource managers are critical to the development of the country because their field deals with human capital development and people’s welfare.
The Vice-President advised: “As people, who are the heart of the country’s human capital development, it’s high time we challenged employees to step out of their comfort zones.
“Let’s prepare them to leave their jobs and take risks of starting their own companies to create job opportunities for the unemployed population.”
He also called on human resource personnel to carry out studies on human capital needs of this country based on human capital audit to inform universities and colleges on curriculum development.
Said Chilima: “This is critical if the country is to come up with programmes that meet its development needs and aspirations.”
The Vice-President asked the human resource managers to familiarise themselves with Malawi 2063 so that they drive messages home to their employees and other Malawians.
He advised: “You must realise that it is this generation of human resource that will have to carry the baton of human capital development on the race to 2063.
“Your profession is crucial to the country’s development blueprint because the fifth enabler of MW2063 is human capital which you, in the human resource industry, are well versed with.”
To this end, Chilima reiterated government’s commitment to support the human resource managers through the enactment of friendly laws.
In his remarks, IPMM president Godwin Ng’oma called on government to involve the institute’s members in parastatal board members appointments.
He urged IPMM members to embrace professionalism, ethical behaviour and integrity, arguing these are key tenets of the profession.
The conference was held under the theme Embracing Professionalism, Ethical Behaviour and Integrity in Human Resource Management in the Changing World
