We'll stave off hunger--Mutharika

29 January 2010, The Maravi Post
URL: http://www.maravipost.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2403%3Agovt-set-to-starve-off-hunger-mutharika&catid=54%3Apolitics&Itemid=124

Lilongwe: Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika, acknowledging the prospects of food shortage after years of abundant grain, says Malawians should not worry as the government is prepared for the lean season.

"We have already stocked 140,000 metric tones of maize in our silos across the country and we will purchase an extra 30,000 tonnes for the strategic grain reserves. ADMARC has stockpiled 45,000 metric tones of maize in its warehouses," Mutharika said to a generally muted National Assembly in the capital, Lilongwe at the opening of the 42nd session of Parliament on Tuesday.

In his State of the Nation address the president however did not mention the obvious challenges the country has experienced in recent times namely the forex shortage and inadequate fuel supplies, opting instead to say reduction of poverty in one of the poorest countries on the planet remained a top priority and called on the people to continue working hard.

Mutharika told the audience, made up of diplomats, civil, religious and traditional leaders, that macro economic performance remained excellent with inflation at 8.5 and a growth rate of 7.6 in 2009.

The opposition dismissed the speech as recycled from last year; that there was nothing new and charged that the president avoided dicussing real issues because he knew the record was poor.

Dubbed "The Going Come True", the speech only 40 miniutes long, short when compared to similar speeches presented here, contained a list of what the president's government viewed as achievements.

Mutharika said the country has negotiated new aid agreements with several countries including a new programme with the International Monetary Fund, while in Agriculture the country turned a corner, producing more food and moving away from a food shortage.

On the Green Belt Irrigation and Water development, Mutharika said work on the project has been completed and the plan will irrigate one million hectares of land, while the water supply system had surpassed targets of the Millennium Development Goals of providing access to portable water to 74 percent of the population.

The President also highlighted the start of marine operations by June 2010 on the Nsanje World Inland port, the need to take climate change seriously and the yet to be launched Youth Enterprise Development Fund.

Opposition United Democratic Front leader in the House Ibrahim Matola said the president presented a rosy picture but reality on ground was different. The president "was out of touch", he said.

Apostle Madalisto Mbewe of the Calvary Family Church said Malawians should stop looking and focusing on minor problems but look at other good things that the government so far has achieved.

The current session of parliament, which will do a midterm review of the budget presented to the House last year, will sit for three weeks