Chiefs in Ntcheu and Dedza to support MRA tackle smuggling

Chiefs in Ntcheu and Dedza have pledged their total support to MRA to tackle smuggling with a view to enable the Government collect more revenue for national development.

The sentiments were made recently by the community leaders when MRA held separate consultative meetings with the chiefs and Community Policing Forums as well as Kabaza operators in the two districts.

Speaking at his headquarters near Tsangano Turn-Off, Group Village Headman, Phuka, assured MRA that he will do anything in his power to deal with smuggling and conveyance in his area to ensure that Government revenue is protected at all cost.

He added that for a very long time, smugglers had been using his areas as a highway for smuggling because he was not aware that smuggling was a crime and retrogressive to national development.

‘’Now that I am aware that smuggling and conveyance have a negative effect on the country’s socio-economic development, I will not allow anybody to use my village as a territory for smuggling,’’ he pledged.

Mathews Kalima stressing a point with Kabaza operators at Mphate Trading Centre in Ntcheu as Julio Banda, left, listens

The sentiments were also echoed by Group Village Woman, Njonja, when the Authority held a meeting with the chief and her Community Policing Forum in her area.

The chief said that now that she had learnt from MRA that smuggling takes away resources that the government would have used to build schools, hospitals, bridges, boreholes and cheap fertilizers, she will closely work with MRA to deal with the malpractice.

MRA engaged chiefs and their Community Policing Forums as well as Kabaza operators in border areas of Tsangano Turn Off in Ntcheu and Golomoti, Masasa, Thethe, Lobi and Mikondo in Dedza on the dangers of smuggling and on the need to jointly work with the Authority in order to effectively deal with challenge.

During the meetings, MRA explained to the people the functions of MRA, uses of taxes and dangers of smuggling and conveyance, among other things.

The Authority was represented by Mc Hizzal Kawanga and Edgar Mpelepele from Head Office. These were joined by officials from the stations such as Mathews Kalima and Thembisile Phoya, Biliwiri in Ntcheu, Julio Banda, FAST East, Liwonde, and Charles Gama, from Dedza.

By Edgar Mpelepele