Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Simplex Chithyola Banda has outlined measures which government has put in place to cushion Malawians from the effects of the recent 44% devaluation.
Speaking from the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) where he was addressing the nation, Chithyola Banda said government is with Malawians now and will not allow them to suffer.
Coming to cushioning mechanisms, the Minister of Finance said 184, 920 families from the district which were affected by Tropical Cyclone Freddy will receive K50,000 a month for three months. He added that 105,000 financially challenged families in cities will receive K150,000.
The finance minister said government has also revised the number of beneficiaries for the social cash transfer initiative from 2 million to 3 million.
As another means of cushioning the citizens through employment opportunities, Chithyola Banda said government will provide such opportunities by among others employ 2, 741 health workers and exporting 5000 Malawians as labour to outside countries.
He also announced that government had revised upwards, the number of Climate Smart Public Works Program beneficiaries from 3000 to 5000 and their wages and number of working days has also been revised upwards.
Meanwhile, Chithyola Banda has said government is consulting with employers and their bodies on salary increments to cushion employees from the effects of devaluation.
