Plans to open trade and tourism opportunities in the north of Malawi are being thwarted by the government dragging its heels in appointing a consultant to conduct a feasibility study for a proposed airport at Mzuzu.
Middle East officials from the OPEC Fund for International Development (Ofid) are accusing the government of failing to utilise a $350 000 grant for the study.
Ofid assistant director general for Public Sector Operations, Fuad Albassam, has told Malawi’s new Minister of Finance, Simplex Chithyola-Banda, that fund officials are not satisfied with the government's failure to hire a consultant for the technical and economic feasibility study for the new airport.
They met at this year's World Bank Group/International Monetary Fund (IMF) Meetings in Marrakech, Morocco on Friday, where Albassam wanted to know why a consultant had not been recruited for the project, two years after signing the grant offer.
"The project grant is intended to finance the preparation of the feasibility study for the construction of a new airport for Mzuzu City.
"The overall cost of the feasibility study is $800 000 with Ofid and the Arab Bank for Economic Development (BADEA) each contributing $350 000 towards the study and the Government of Malawi contributing $100 000.
"It was expected to result in a potential $200 million (based on preliminary estimates) investment that would be made to establish the airport, if feasible, but two years down the line there has been no movement," Albassam said.
He threatened the Malawi government with withdrawing its feasibility study funding as the government did not appear to be serious about the matter and could potentially lose the programme grant if it continues not showing interest to identify and recruit a consultant.
Chithyola-Banda said it is sad that for over two years government has failed to recruit a consultant to kick-start the project.
"Mzuzu City deserves a modern international airport to facilitate aviation services in the north but how could we not as a country not utilize the programme grant which was approved and signed in 2021?
"We need to move with speed to help turn around the economy and spearhead development," he said.
The minister then committed to take the matter seriously and provide necessary policy direction to ensure that the process starts as soon as possible.
