Government of President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has vowed to provide more financial support to the rural sector for the revitalisation of rural development landscape, saying they are the “bedrock for a new era of development” which is aimed at accelerating economy and making it more self-reliant and insulate it from external shocks.
Responding to Members of Parliament in the Chamber today who wanted their trading centers to be upgraded to growth centres, Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Richard Chimwendo Banda said that government recognizes the complexity of rural economy structure and is committed to move ‘mountains’ by upgrading most trading centers across the country to Rural Growth Centres so that they can effectively contribute to the growth of economy in line with the aspirations of the people by among others building an institutional safety nets for the vulnerable, and building an enabling environment for market-led growth.
“Without accelerating rural development, the nation can never be self-reliant and developed because growth centres have proved to be the catalysts of socioeconomic transformation.
“We need to ensure that every citizen has access to basic needs such as water, electricity, housing, roads, schools, health facilities, access to technology and internet among others because they are instrumental for rural socioeconomic growth and development,” said Chimwendo Banda who is also leader of government business in Parliament.
He emphasized that as Members of Parliament, they must ensure optimum utilisation of each and every penny in their districts so that people can appreciate changes in their lives and make sure that no citizen is left behind in building new Malawi under president Chakwera.
Rural growth centres were developed to stop the migration of people from local communities to urban areas.
The system has also helped to spur and improve local infrastructure and public service provision in the villages
Government has lined up several trading centers to be upgraded including Jenda in Mzimba, Nthalire in Chitipa, Neno in Neno District, Nambuma in Dowa, Malomo in Ntchisi, MonkeyBay in Mangochi, Chapananga in Chikwawa, Mkanda in Mchinji and Chitekesa in Phalombe.
