The Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) has donated seized items worth over K3 million to various institutions in Ntcheu district.
MRA has donated 509 bags of cement and 540 litres of cooking oil to Ntcheu Town Council, Ntcheu District Hospital and six primary schools surrounding Biriwiri Customs Station.
The cement and the cooking oil which are valued at K2, 901,300 and K459,000 respectively were seized from smugglers and other unscrupulous traders.
MRA Corporate Affairs, Marketing and Communications Manager 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.
Chalulu added that the Authority decided to donate the goods right in Ntcheu as a way of thanking 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 Tsangano Zone Fanny Banda said many
schools in the area have outstanding projects but they lack building materials to complete the buildings.
“Let me thank MRA for being our solution. This donation is an answered prayer,” she said.
Ntcheu 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.
