Government says it intends to procure police patrol boats in a bit to intensify security on Lake Malawi.

According to Minister of Homeland Security Richard Chimwendo Banda, authorities are aware that smugglers use the lake to smuggle in goods into the country.

“We are securing our boarders and one of the issues is to make sure that we monitor and secure our boarders including on the lake.

“We know that there are people smuggle goods and move on the lake in the course of running away from the police and will be arresting this situation,” said Chimwendo Banda.

He said government is committed towards ensuring the country`s boarders are secure including on the lake.

“Indeed, we have made commitments that we have started putting in money to make sure that we have got ports that would secure our lake.

“We will be doing that continuously at the same time we also have other equipment necessary for border security which we are embarking on,” he said.

Chimwendo Banda was responding to Likoma Islands parliamentarian Ashems Songwe who asked the minister provide patrol boats, modern telecommunications equipment and motor vehicles for the District.

The lawmaker said Likoma District, owing to its unique geographical positioning, isolation from the mainland and the fact that it is on the border to Mozambique and Tanzania, urgently requires a proper face-lifting to preserve the nation’s dignity and honour.