Goodall Gondwe ‘lied’ on teachers’ leave grants

Tom Sangala June 10, 2017

274 1 minute read

Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe on Friday made an apology in Parliament for misinforming legislators that Treasury had already released money for teachers’ leave grants into council bank accounts.

“First of all, let me start by apologising…my officials misled me. I thought the process was as simple as anything but I understand the process is very complicated,” Gondwe said.

Primary school teachers in public schools are on an indefinite strike, crippling the primary school education system as they demand leave grants for 2016/17 financial year.

Gondwe told Parliament that council officials must first fill what he called GP 5 forms and, after filling the forms, Treasury would start the process of releasing the money.

He said, as of yesterday, 16 councils had filled the forms out of the 28 councils, adding that it was expected that the remaining councils would fill the forms by Monday next week.

Gondwe said this has not only affected teachers but all civil servants. He said teachers are in the spotlight because they have gone on strike.

On the issue of reopening of Chancellor College, a constituent college of the University of Malawi, Gondwe assured the House that the oldest college in the country would open soon as the striking members of staff would get their money.

“We have a new budget which has money for salary increase,” Gondwe said.

Public Affairs Committee delegates have given the government an ultimatum of 30 days to open Chancellor College or risk unspecified action.

However, Parliament on Friday started on a chaotic note as just 30 Members of Parliament were in the House as at 10 o’clock in the morning, prompting First Deputy Speaker Esther Mcheka Chilenje to call for the legislators to be serious with business in the 193 member House.

Minister of Transport and Public Works Jappie Mhango failed to respond to five questions during question time because all the MPs who were supposed to ask the questions were not in the Chamber.

Minister of Energy Bright Msaka and Minister of Information responded to very few questions because the legislators who were supposed to ask the questions were not in the House.

Questions are strictly asked by MPs who formulated them.

Parliament’s spokesperson Leonard Mengezi said MPs are late or absent from the House due to various reasons and always communicate to the office of the Speaker.