Malawi Government has issued a six-month ban on exportation of scrap metal following a rise in vandalism of electricity, water, telecommunications and transport infrastructure.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry has announced the ban in a statement signed by its Principal Secretary Christina Zakeyu.
“There is empirical evidence that those involved in the malpractice (vandalising public infrastructure) sell the materials as scrap metal to fulfill their business requirements which is not in tandem with our national development agenda,” reads part of the statement.
According to Zakeyu, the suspension is aimed at sanitising the scrap metal trade.
She added that following the ban, all export licences for scrap metal have been revoked forthwith and no export of scrap metal shall not be entertained.
In the next six months, the Trade Ministry and the Ministry of Home Affairs will review the Second-hand and Scrap Metal Dealers Act of 1971 and develop regulations accompanying it as well as conduct registration of all Second-hand and Scrap Metal Dealers.
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