Chakwera gets tough on unnecessary spending as he calls for dissolve of Macra Board with immediate effect

President Lazarus Chakwera has called for the dissolve of the country’s communication regulatory (MACRA) board over unnecessary spending of funds.

This follows reports that the board spent 46 Million Kwacha by attending training in Dubai.

Chakwera made the remarks in his presentation at the launch of the second phase of national backbone fiber at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe.

In his sentiments, Chakwera said it is saddening that the board Chairperson of Macra could not find a cost-effective way of enhancing the capacity of the board than taking them to Dubai and blowing millions of kwacha.

The development however caused a national uproar with people petitioning the country’s President Chakwera to immediately dissolve the Board at MACRA.

Leaders of HRDC Gift Trapence and executive member Luke Tembo agreed with Malawians by saying the trip had exposed the Board’s priorities that are only self-serving.

The HRDC challenged Chakwera to look for and appoint people that are willing to serve citizens “and not the current Board that is bent on personal interests”.

The pressure group described what happened as ”extravagance and abuse” coming at a time the economy is bleeding.

“The current MACRA Board does not inspire confidence at all and leaves a lot to be desired. Instead of being gatekeepers, they have demonstrated selfish, unreasonable, and careless tendencies.”