National – Page 87 – Maravi Express – Your Kind of News. Clear and accurate.

Independent power producers centre of achieving MW2063 vision in the energy sector—Ministry

January 25, 2025

* Expected to bring much-needed investment, innovation and expertise to expand the generation capacity, diversify energy sources and improve energy access * By 2030, Malawi’s estimated electricity demand is projected to reach approximately 774 megawatts (MW) * While the expected generation capacity for the same year is forecasted to be around 1,500MW By Sheminah Nkhoma, MANA The Ministry of Energy has expressed satisfaction with independent power producers (IPPs), saying they are at the centre of improving livelihoods and achieving…

ESCOM developing sustainable development robust customer-centric and robust faults-clearing systems to supplement existing ones

January 24, 2025

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| Business, Law Enforcement, National, News

* In response to serious warning from MERA over poor customer service delivery * We have expressed to MERA’s letter expressing our regret over the issues raised * While detailing steps to address them, and measures to ensure their implementation By Duncan Mlanjira Concerns which Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) raised in a letter to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM), dated January 13, 2025, were already responded to on January 16 to the…

IMM and ICTAM sign MoU to leverage each other’s strengths to deliver high-quality and impactful ICT programmes

January 24, 2025

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| Business, Education, National, News

* A three-year partnership sets to collaborate on training, workshops and skills development programmes * The partnership aligns with the nation’s development blueprint, MW2063 — under enabler number 5; Human Capital Development * Which calls for investment in science, technology & development and education skills development as key enablers for development By Duncan Mlanjira Institute of Marketing in Malawi (IMM) and ICT Association of Malawi (ICTAM) have signed a landmark memorandum of understanding (MoU) to empower members of both…

Downright wickedness! Vandalism reaches level of desecrating graveyards

January 24, 2025

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| Business, National, News, Religion

* Over 45 tombstones at HHI Cemetery in Blantyre destroyed to steal the granite and tombstone enforcement wires * This has nothing to do with poverty or tough economic challenges being experienced in the country — its just downright wickedness By Duncan Mlanjira The public have expressed deep concerns that, while the country is experiencing tough economic challenges, turning to desecrate graveyards to steal parts of the expensively assembled tombstones, is simply downright wickedness. Of course, there have been…

Some rainfall forecasts for 2024-2025 were complicated by frequent false predictions due to delayed manifestation of La Niña phenomenon

January 24, 2025

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| Agriculture, National, News

* The probability of above-normal rainfall for January-February-March is still high — however, this likelihood is stronger in southern Malawi (58%), while the northern regions have a 50% chance * Additionally, the probability of below-normal rainfall is higher over northern areas at 33% compared to the south at 17% By Duncan Mlanjira The 2024-2025 rainfall season was expected to be influenced by La Niña phenomenon, among other climate factors — with forecasts suggesting above-normal rainfall for the January-April 2025…

The public is the best informant of shops that are arbitrarily overcharging prices or selling substandard products—Ministry of Trade & Industry

January 24, 2025

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Minister Gwengwe during the press briefing yesterday * Thus asked to be vigilant and report any suspected case of unfair trading practices through toll-free line: 2489 * As the Ministry closes over six businesses for gross trade-related violations on the market * Ministry, CFTC and MBS will continue performing the market surveillances on a daily basis until sanity is restored By Patricia Kapulula, MANA & Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express In order to help in the creation of a market…

MERA issues serious warning to ESCOM over horrible customer service that include staff rudeness

January 23, 2025

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* Also includes non-compliance to MERA’s directives and staff demanding money to rectify faults or for new electricity connections * ESCOM had ignored two previous directives the Authority had issued — on September 30, 2024 and in April 2024 * MERA thus warns it will not hesitate to take further action against ESCOM should the non-compliance continues By Duncan Mlanjira While people had been complaining amongst themselves on social media of poor service delivery in as far as reporting…

The maximum 30-year jail term with no option of paying a fine for vandalism of ESCOM assets seems not to be acting as a deterrent

January 22, 2025

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* As three more culprits are found and arrested in possession of ESCOM electrical conductor wires in the Lower Shire * Two found with 200m-long conductor wire in Chikwawa, one with three bags of aluminum wire in Nsanje * In under a week and barely after a few days when another incident in Lilongwe when a Chinese national was arrested in possession of 40 bags of stolen copper wires * Amounting to approximately 18 tonnes — suspected to have…

Malawi society needs to reflect on its norms and standards; otherwise soon we will close the whole country—Chief Economist Chifipa Mhango

January 22, 2025

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* His reaction to market surveillance raids by Labour Minister Mumba and Malawi Bureau of Standards on companies and supermarkets * And closing them for non-adherence and non-compliance to labour and trading laws * We need to reflect on what is being exposed as not being a full picture, but maybe this is just a tip of a bigger story that has not been told By Duncan Mlanjira Chief Economist for South Africa-based Don Consultancy Group, Chifipa Mhango — having observed…

Minister Mumba urges technical colleges to rigorously market their innovations

January 22, 2025

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* After being impressed with a modern irrigation system at Sonda which is an innovation of Mzuzu Technical College * As well as a solar-powered charging facility which one can be used to charge multiple gadgets at once By Rose Cross Mahorya, MANA Minister of Labour Vitumbiko Mumba has impressed on technical colleges and vocational training institutions in the country to rigorously market innovations they develop so that they can increase their revenue bases. Speaking in Mzuzu yesterday when…