Mutharika promises low-cost houses for civil servants

President Peter Mutharika has said his administration will ensure that civil servants in the country should be able to own decent houses.

Mutharika made the promise on Thursday when he addressed female civil servants from across the Southern Region during a Cancer Awareness Campaign organised by The First Lady Professor Gertrude Mutharika at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre.

Mutharika said his government has already invited investors who will build low cost houses that government workers will initially rent before becoming owners.

“I want to give an opportunity to every civil servant to own a house. We will make sure that the cost must be low because we will build factories to produce the housing materials in this country.

“I have instructed the Chief Secretary to form a taskforce that must drive this program with speed,” he said.

The president added that his government will continue to raise salaries for civil servants as the economy improves.

“This year, we have raised civil servants salaries with 10% average. I know this is not enough. But it is the beginning. And I promise to ensure that every year we should be raising salaries,” he said.

During his speech, Mutharika hailed civil servants for their hard work and patriotism saying many sectors have improved during his tenure because civil servants work together with his administration.

He said: Today, I want to thank you all. I want to thank the messengers, cleaners, drivers, secretaries, various officers, Directors and Principal Secretaries because we all serve Malawi together.

“I want you to know that everyone is important. No person is more important than another. Together, we have fought down inflation to the single digit and stabilized prices of commodities on every shelf, of every shop, in every community in this country.