Government through Minister of Health Khumbize Chiponda and Minister of Trade and Industry Chithyola Banda have today hailed leader of opposition Dr Kondwani Nankhumwa for feeling concerned with the plight of poor Malawians.
Chiponda, who is also Kasungu South East Member of Parliament says raising the issue of hunger and the need to open Admarc markets shows “maturity and deep love” for people of Malawi.
“This shows that Nankhumwa has a commitment on issues affecting people. She pointed out that hunger is a serious issue that needs serious attention from government.
“Issues of hunger do not wear any party colour, issues of hunger do not wear faith colour, issues of hunger do not wear a church colour at all. Issues of hunger do not wear race colour. Issues of hunger do not know where you are coming from and unfortunately when hunger hits a home, a community or country, the most affected are women and children,” said Chiponda.
She went on to say MPs tried their best to ensure that farmers access farm inputs under the Affordable Inputs Program but the disasters have heavily affected the country’s food security.
She stressed the need for government to do something on the food situation especially in the Southern Region which was hit by Cyclone Freddy.
Minister of Trade and Industry Simplex Chithyola Banda who is also MP for Kasungu South also commended Nankhumwa for bringing the issue to Parliament saying there is need for solutions to the hunger situation, adding that both government and the opposition need to join hands on the matter.
He said people in areas that were hit by Cyclone Freddy have no food.
“My ministry has relaxed importation of maize to ensure maize availability but also stabilise the price,” said Banda.
Nankhumwa’s motion has received a bipartisan support from both sides of Parliament.
Meanwhile government has announced that this year’s
Maize production in the 2022/23 farming season stands at 3,509,837 Metric Tonnes, representing a 5.6 percent decline in comparison to the 2021/22 final round estimate of 3,716,479 Metric Tonnes.
