By Stanley Nkhondoyachapa

Lilongwe, May 13, Mana: Ministry of Transport and Public Works on Monday launched its Strategic Plan, a key guiding document for the operations and functions of the Ministry from the year 2023 to 2030.

Speaking at the launch which took place at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe, Minister of Transport and Public Works, Jacob Hara, said the Strategic Plan will provide direction the transport and building sectors are going to take for the next seven years.

He noted that the plan is an operational reference book to which all departments, agencies and sections are to be aligned to.

“We have several strategic documents such as the 20-year National Transport Master Plan (NTMP), the five-year Comprehensive Medium-Term Implementation Framework (CMTIF) with our two policies along with three overarching policies on transport, construction and building, yet the operations of the ministry must be guided by a strategic document that others can use to keep us accountable,” he said.

He described the Strategic Plan as a critical document that steers the ministry towards the achievement of the long term goals of the sector as laid out in the Malawi 2063 and the National Transport Master Plan.

He, therefore, called upon heads of departments, ministries and agencies, development partners and non-state actors to put their effort behind the implementation of the Strategic Plan.

Chairperson for Transport and Public Works Committee in Parliament, Enock Phale, was excited with the launch hoping it will lead to fixing the broken public transport system and restore it to its former glory.

“We used to have a vibrant public road, rail, air and water transport systems in this country, but soon after former President, Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda things have not been good, so this strategic plan gives us hope,” he said.

The launch was attended by several high ranking officials from Central East African Railways (CEAR), National Construction Industry Council (NCIC) and National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA), among others.