Government is yet to release expenditure report on COVID-19 donations, a month after opening a special account at FDH bank.
Special Cabinet Committee on Coronavirus Chairperson, Jappie Mhango, announced in a statement dated April 8 2020 that all local and external financial support should be channeled into the account.
Mhango also assured all well-wishers that government will ensure transparency and accountability in the management of the account.
“The account will be managed in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act and all the requisite public finance procedures,” reads the statement.
Department of Disaster of Response and Management (DoDMA) spokesperson, Chipiliro Khamula said a report on how the account is being managed will be released in due course.
Recently, Minister of Information Mark Botomani announced that government had a deficit of about K138 billion from the proposed K157 billion National Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Plan.
Mhango, Botomani and other members of the then Cabinet Committee on Coronavirus have come under-fire for pocketing hefty allowances for coronavirus pandemic assignments.
Malawi’s hospitals were closed indefinitely following a strike by health workers demanding to be given risk allowances and Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), a development which forced government to raise risk allowances ranging from K20,000 to K60,000.
As of April 30 2020, the toll number of coronavirus confirmed cases was at 37, with 7 recoveries, 26 active cases and 3 deaths.
