Minister of Tourism and Culture Michael Usi says the country needs a modern building for national records and archives.
Speaking Thursday when he toured the National Records and Archives headquarters in Zomba, the minister said national records can be used to develop the country.
Said Usi: “National records and archives office is a very important office. This office has valuable documents that have made Malawi the country that it is today.
“All the information from the time of missionaries, colonial era to-date is kept by this office. Even information on treaties that were signed then and all data one may need is being kept here.”
The minister has since challenged the Department of National Records and Archives to employ a new marketing strategy that would help raise enough money for the construction of a new structure.
On his part, National Records and Archive Services director Paul Likoma said apart from keeping old information, the office also provides a platform for researchers and students.
He said: “Apart from the poor structures, the department also gets low funding which affects our operations. Again, we only have one vehicle that caters for all our offices in the three regions.”
The director also bemoaned the lack of proper disposal of important documents in various offices, urging institutions to contact the department for disposal of valuable documents instead of destroying them. The National Records and Archives Office keeps all publications produced in Malawi as well as documents produced in the country’s private and public institutions.
