By Lydia Kalonde, MANA
Malawi’s vice president Saulos Chilima has expressed satisfaction with the construction works at the site for new Malawi Bureau of Standard (MBS) offices in Blantyre saying the bureau will improve testing and standardization of Malawi’s products through its high-tech laboratories.
Chilima toured the construction site Friday to appreciate construction of the new MBS office structure as part of the government reform process.
“It is very good work, because when we came here it must have been 2017, to lay a foundation stone and now three years later we see a lab and building that is almost completed,” the vice president said.
The vice president who expressed satisfaction with construction works at the MBS office site visited the site soon after holding public reforms engagement with chief executives of Parastatals at Sunbird Mount Soche Hotels in Blantyre Friday morning.
“This is commendable and this is one of the fruits of the reform here at the Malawi Bureau of Standards, this is a lab that will both save money for Malawi but also bring money,” he said.
He emphasized the impact that the lab will have on the economy of the country saying it will be able to test food, construction materials and minerals which will also attract goods and products from other countries for testing and standardization.
He noted that the new lad at the MBS will also limit Malawi’s expenses in sending other products outside for testing.
The Vice President however, acknowledged the delay in finishing the building saying lack of funding was a factor that saw the project taking longer than anticipated.
“It is true the works slowed down a bit but, they have assured me that in the next 9-10 months the works will be completed and they may start using it,” he said while expressing hope of Malawi’s Forex earning once the labs start functioning.
“We would have loved if it completed earlier but funds did not allow but here we are, we are about to have a lab that will generate money for this country,” Chilima added.
MBS Director General, Simon Mandala said the bureau is confident that the work will finish within 9-10 months from now as the works are at 96 percent completion.
He disclosed that the MBS is waiting for heating ventilation and air conditioning system that was imported from China in three to four months adding this also involves fabricating, shipping and clearance.
Mandala said MBS is expecting a robust standardization quality assurance and good infrastructure per public reforms requirements.
The Malawi government funded construction of new MBS offices at MK12 Billion while donors supported the project with state of the art equipment to be used in the structure.
