A consignment of cement and cooking oil worth over K3 million seized from smugglers and other unscrupulous traders has been donated to schools, a council assembly and a hospital in Ntcheu District.  

The Malawi Revevue Authority (MRA) on Friday, February 24, 2017, donated 509 bags of cement and 540 litres of cooking oil to Ntcheu District Council, Ntcheu District Hospital and six primary schools surrounding Biriwiri Station.

The cement and the cooking oil are valued at K2, 901,300 and K459, 000, respectively.

 Corporate Affairs Marketing and Communications Manager Mrs. Wilma Chalulu said the goods donated were seized from unscrupulous traders around Tsangano area after informants alerted Biriwiri Customs Station.

”We got the goods from our border after some informants tipped our office of some traders that are illegally importing merchandise into the country. Our office managed to track the culprits and seized their goods as they all failed to display import permits,” she said.

Mrs. Chalulu said the Authority decided to donate the goods right in Ntcheu as a way to thank the community for working hand in hand with MRA in curbing smuggling, an act that deters revenue collection.

“MRA lives in a community and that is why we have made a decision to make our donation to Ntcheu town council and the schools for the benefit of the community in which the goods were seized.  Smuggling is bad for business in general and has an impact on revenue collections, this is why we appreciate the role of informants in helping us curb the act,” Chalulu explained.

Receiving the donation on behalf of the Ntcheu Community, Mfumu ya a Ngoni, Maseko Inkosi ya Makosi Gomani V, Mrs. Rosemary Malinki, thanked MRA for the gesture.

“The cement will assist in developing Ntcheu district by among others finishing the incomplete District hospital fence and repairing some structures at the council”, said Malinki.

Speaking on behalf of the schools, Primary Education Adviser (PEA) for the Tsangano Zone, Mrs. Fanny Banda said:

“We are very grateful to MRA as many schools in this area have outstanding projects which did not have vital building materials especially cement, to assist in completing them. Let me thank MRA for being our solution. This donation is an answered prayer,” she exclaimed.

Ntcheu District hospital District Health Officer Dr. Mike Chisema was also filled with gratitude and deemed the donation as a financial relief.

“On behalf of the District Commissioner, I would like to thank you for uplifting the lives of the patients at Ntcheu District Hospital. Your donation of 540 litres of cooking oil will go a long way in relieving us from budget pressure, food for patients and will take us up to 2 months,” said Dr. Chisema.

MRA encourages members of the general public to report all illegal traders through toll free number 847 for Airtel and TNM subscribers or 80000847 for MTL subscribers or send their tips through email address: reportswqm@tip-offs.com.

By Emma Mwasinga