Govt appoints Admarc, Unima boards
President Pater Mutharika has appointed new board members for State-produce trader Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) and University of Malawi (Unima) Council.
According to a statement released on Sunday evening signed by Chief Secretary to Government Lloyd Muhara, the appointments, which include members from various sectors such as the academia, business, legal and politics, are with effect from January 1 2017.
The statement indicates that James Masumbu has been appointed as Admarc board chairperson with Stain Singo, Paramount Chief Gomani and Jafali Mussa as board members.
Other Admarc board members include Ken Ndanga, Chancy Gondwe, Milward Nyangulu, Umderanji Mbandambanda, principal secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, and Comptroller of Statutory Corporations.
Those appointed into Unima Council board include Professor Jack Wirima, who is chairperson and George Patridge and Justice Duncan Tambala as members.
The statement further says other members in the Unima Council board include “two members to be appointed by the University Council, principals of the four constituent colleges of Unima [College of Medicine, Chancellor College, Kamuzu College of Nursing and The Polytechnic].
“Four members appointed by the Senate of Unima, two members appointed by Unima Students Council, Unima vice-chancellor, PS in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Secretary to the Treasury, Secretary for Human Resources Management and Development and the Comptroller of Statutory Corporations.”
Confirming the news yesterday, Muhara said the terms of the two boards expired in November last year, hence the new appointments.
Recently, Admarc and Unima have made headlines for the wrong reasons.
Chancellor College political analyst Boniface Dulani questioned the moral of putting traditional leaders in parastatal boards, saying there is little they bring to the boards as they do not have the expertise.
He said looking at what Admarc is going through, it needs a strong board, one that can provide a positive policy direction to the institution’s executive management. n
