Government has banned importation of second hand underwear and other items following the new Control of Goods Act which aims to restrict imports and encourage local manufacturing.
This was announced at a press briefing in Lilongwe by Minister of Trade, Sosten Gwengwe, as all import and export permits have been revoked and new ones will be issued in respect of the new trade regime. Traders will have to get the new permits by 7 August.
The Minister said the new law challenges local industry to produce the products that need not to be imported like tooth picks and vegetables. All licenses under the old regime expired on 24 July after the gazette of the new law.
Bola zitheke
Locally produced items need machinery and expertise in order to have user friendly products. Just because Chakwera has said those ministers who will not deliver will be removed doesn’t mean that you present dreams in your ministry and you think Malawians will buy your crude hallucinations.
Malawi to get to a stage where it can be called an industrial entity, time and good resource utilisation need to be applied. If you think producing toothpicks will involve scraping bamboos with knives or razor blades, then forget it Mr. Gwengwe. Anduna, serious?**!!