Vice President Michael Usi has asked community leaders to encourage Malawians to obtain loans from the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) which they can use to economically empower themselves.
Usi was speaking in Mzimba during a consultative meeting with the district’s community leaders which was organised by NEEF.
“What NEEF is doing is like worshipping God through service to mankind because most Malawians who got loans have experienced major changes in their lives and looking at the desired future for our country, which is a self-reliant nation, leaders should take leading roles encouraging Malawians to apply and repay the loans,” Usi said.
“For a long time, Malawi has been grappling with man-made challenges and politics have been derailing us instead of helping us thrive. We need to rise above petty politics and avoid entertaining mediocrity by getting loans from NEEF an organisation which is very relevant to the development agenda of our country,” he added.
Usi noted that there is misinformation about NEEF loans among Malawians and yet there are many positive stories from beneficiaries of the fund who utilised it well.
On his part, Paramount Chief Inkhosi Ya Makhosi M’mbelwa V said it is high time Malawians parted ways with the dependency syndrome to be self-reliant citizens.
“As chiefs, we have a role to play of ensuring the economic empowerment of Malawians by ensuring that more citizens have access to this revolving fund which was established by the government and also help make sure people are repaying the loans which they took from NEEF,” Inkosi M’mbelwa said.
“This country has been politically independent since 1964; therefore, we should strive to make sure that we are also economically independent. On this same note, let me warn politicians against advising people not to repay the loans thinking this is a government gift because that’s being unpatriotic,” he added.
At the meeting, the Head of Operations at NEEF, Kisa Kalolokesya, said since NEEF was established, as of September 2024, they have disbursed K132.7 billion in loans benefitting over 182,000 people throughout Malawi.
“Out of that, 22 per cent was disbursed in the Northern Region, with Karonga benefiting K8.3 billion, which means about 12000 people in Mzimba have benefited.
“However, we have been facing challenges in terms of late loan disbursements, which we have since improved, and now it takes not more than 30 days unless there are cash challenges,” said Kalolokesya.
He also bemoaned the tendency of some Malawians who continue to default on loans, thinking they are gifts from the government.
One of the beneficiaries of the NEEF loans, Davison Ng’ambi, who is operating a photo studio, said he has been benefitting from the loans for a long time.
“This has increased my studio operations, and as a youth, my life has greatly been transformed. My advice to those who access the loans is to repay on time so that others should also tap into this life-changing money bag,” said Ng’ambi.
It has also been singled out that Mzimba South alone has repaid 93 per cent of the loan.
Currently, the government of Malawi has pumped 1000 Billion to NEEF.
