The Maravi Post

LILONGWE—Malawi’s Vice President Khumbo Kachali has said despite the bitter economic pill Malawians have to swallow, the result will be a strong economic foundation that will guarantee
economic growth in all sectors.

Kachali was speaking when he opened the First even National Dialogue on Policy on Employment and Labour in Lilongwe, where the International Labour Organisation indicated that despite growth in agriculture, wages for workers in the sector have gone down. “We did not do the right thing when we needed to. Today this Government has to do what was supposed to be done two years ago which created the mess that we found and trying to correct. But I am confident that with the preliminary results we shall over come,” said Kachali.

ILO Employment specialist Mohammed Gassama said Malawi had shown that massive investments in various sectors can help reduce unemployment but said the country needs to work on its wage structure.

‘While it is true that there has been an increase in jobs in the agriculture sector due to subsidies and policies available but overall income for workers and labourers has gone down in the sector due to the poor wage structure,’ observed the ILO expert.

Labour Minister Eunice Makangala said Malawi is drafting the National Employment and Labour Police and currently already has finalized the Decent Work strategy for 2011 to 2016 which will help to improve employment and renumeration among workers.

Chauluka Muwake, President of the Malawi Congress of Trade Union and Buxton Kayuni President of Employers Consultative Association of Malawi asked all stakeholder in the industry to come up with proper employment data for the country to be effective in its plans.
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