| Name | Patricia Kaliati |  |
| Surname | Kaliati | |
| First Names | Patricia | |
| Alternate Name | ||
| Title | Mrs | |
| Country of Birth | Malawi |
| Positions | |||
| From | To | Organisation | Position |
| 2006 | Ministry of Information & Civic Education | Minister of Information & Civic Education | |
| Date of Birth | |
| Political Affiliation | |
| Telephone | |
| Address | |
| Notes | Minister of Information Patricia Kaliati Thursday accused Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) staff of corruption and stealing from the organisation, a situation she said worsens the institution’s financial woes. Kaliati, who brands herself as a very open and frank person, said this during a meeting she had with MBC management to discuss the institution’s problems. But MBC management said it is aware of some of the accusations and that corrective measures are being undertaken. All was well at the beginning of the meeting—which was also attended by journalists from other media organisations—as the minister asked the managers to open up and highlight problems the institution is facing. MBC Director General Owen Maunde said the biggest problem facing institution is funding which he said has been limited since the inception of Radio 2 in 1997. “Radio 2 has not been funded since 1997. It only got K100,000 when it was being opened. As such, we can say MBC is being under-funded. The money we get from Treasury is not also enough for operations, in addition to the money from our...revenues,” said Maunde. He said other problems include lack of good equipment and transport. MBC Financial Controller Allan Nyahoda added the other problem is that of financial arrears which government said would pay but it has not done so to-date. “Since 1997, MBC has accumulated K378 million in arrears and Treasury only paid part of the electricity bills then stopped. So, the arrears are still affecting us,” said Nyahoda. But when Kaliati took the floor, she had no kind words for the MBC management. “These problems come because of you people. You are pocketing the money meant for the institution. An advertiser gives you K5 million, you pocket K3 million [and] cheques are being written in your names instead of the company’s. “I have the information. I can even produce account numbers of your officials where the money is going,” said Kaliati. “Procurement figures are inflated here: a bale of tissue which costs K1,500 is valued at K5,000; a radio which could cost K40,000 is put at K80,000. I have the list and I can fax it to you,” she said. “Corruption here is everywhere, even among the DJs. This is too much, musiye kusolola (stop stealing), then we can trust you.” The minister said even MBC’s auditors cannot be trusted because they only do a good job at the beginning but after a while, they became part and parcel of the “thieves”. “I know everything because it is the people you deal with and the friends you open up to who give me the information. “It’s unfortunate that I am a teacher by profession. Had it been I was a police officer, I could have been the Inspector General because no information passes by me,” said Kaliati. The minister advised MBC to be creative and start making project proposals to generate more income instead of just waiting for government funding. When asked to make closing remarks, Maunde, while thanking Kaliati for visiting them, asked the minister to give them the list of procured items with inflated figures. And when asked if management was aware of the issues raised by the minister, Maunde said after the meeting: “As I listened carefully to the minister, I think it was an issue regarding our procurement officer who has since been suspended pending investigations on some procurement issues. “You know, we have an internal procurement committee which scrutinises things to be procured and an internal auditor who scrutinises financial transactions.” “Appropriate action is taken when someone is found at fault. As management, we are not just sitting; we are trying to make sure that this stops,” he said. Early last year, MBC suspended 12 of its employees from the business departments in Lilongwe and Blantyre following an alleged K17 million fraud. [ 18 Aug 2006 - www.nationmalawi.com ] |
| Record last updated on 21 AUG 2006 |