By Isaac Salima:
President Lazarus Chakwera has said University Innovation Pod Centre, which has been established at Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (Mubas), should give universities motivation to contribute to national development efforts.
Chakwera said this at Mubas campus in Blantyre Wednesday, when he officially launched the centre.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has funded it to the tune of $2 million.
- Advertisement -
The President said the state-of-the-art facility will enable Malawians to be self-reliant.
- Advertisement -
“For the country to achieve economic growth and attain its development vision, we need to accord Malawians an opportunity to be self-reliant. The citizenry that is able to feed itself, build good houses and send children to school is the one that can criticise the government without fear.
“The innovation centre is not only benefitting students from this facility but all Malawians. Let us support these young minds so that they can play a leading role in the growth of the country,” Chakwera said.
The President, who was accompanied by his vice Saulos Chilima and Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and Regional Director Ahunna Eziakonwa, first toured the centre, which is within Mubas, and has areas for electronics and computer numerical control, digital creative arts laboratory and other labs where innovators will learn about entrepreneurship and technology.
The president has also directed the education and finance ministries to work with the National Council for Higher Education in reviewing the students loans facility following the devaluation of the Kwacha.
- Advertisement -
In her remarks, Eziakonwa said the establishment of the centre is a demonstration of a new UNDP that listens to its members.
“This has shown that ideas for our programmes do not come from desks but, rather, from the people. At the peak of the Covid pandemic, young minds came up with ideas and innovations which were able to address some challenges. It is for this reason that we thought of investing in that. Malawi showed its potential, hence qualifying as a country to instantly receive this centre,” she said.
Earlier in the day, Eziakonwa, who completed her four-day assignments in the country, had an audience with Chakwera at Sanjika Palace.
Speaking after the meeting, Eziakonwa said they are committed to supporting the country’s tripartite elections next year.
“UNDP is managing basket funds for the elections [in Malawi]. Donors have been generous and have a contribution of $10 million for the elections to complement the government’s budget. We want to invest in empowering the electorate by promoting inclusion and also the participation of women,” Eziakonwa said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Nancy Tembo said Eziakonwa’s visit was fruitful.
“She had a number of engagements which, among other things, helped her in understanding some of the challenges that the country is experiencing so that we can join forces in addressing them,” Eziakonwa said.
