By Raphael Likaka
Principal Secretary for National Registration Bureau in the Ministry of Homeland Security, Mphatso Sambo, has advised NRB officers in the Southern and Eastern Regions to desist from corrupt practices when discharging their duties, saying corruption affects the image and mandate of the bureau.
Sambo said this when the National Registration Bureau (NRB) in collaboration with the Anti-Corruption Bureau held a meeting to orient NRB district officers from the Southern and Eastern Region on the evils of corruption on national development.
He said the image of the NRB has been dented due to complaints about corruption such that Malawians have lost trust in the way the bureau offers its services.
Sambo further said corruption is counterproductive at workplace as such the NRB authority will ensure that corruption stops at all its district offices across Malawi.
Sambo added that the bureau has developed strategies that will restore its image and integrity and this include timely issuing of national identity cards and awarding best NRB performing staff.
He therefore warned all NRB district staff that are involved in corrupt practices to stop, saying the bureau will dismiss all that might be found guilty of corruption.
“I’m warning all of you working under the National Registration Bureau that once you’re found doing corrupt practices, the bureau will have no choice but to sack you” Sambo said.
He also called on Malawians never to engage in corrupt practices when they’re registering for or replacing national identity cards.
“Let me also appeal to Malawians that you should not attempt to corrupt NRB staff so that you should get your national identity card instantly because this also put you in corrupt practice,” he added.
One of the Senior Officers at the ACB, Memory Kadongola, said the ACB organised the meeting after receiving complaints from the public that NRB district staff demand extra money when renewing a national identity card.
She therefore appealed to the NRB district staff to stop demanding extra cash from those that want to renew their national identity cards saying the demand for cash is corruption at its best and that the ACB will arrest anyone involved in the corrupt practices.
“We at the ACB have been receiving complaints that NRB officers demand extra cash from people that come to their offices to renew their national identity cards. This is against the law and l want to warn you that you will be arrested for this,” she said.
NRB officers from the southern and eastern region attended the meeting at Riverside Lodge in Zomba.
