By Malawi Exclusive
While we do not take prestige in our own good deeds others outside this country sees a lot of good things worthy emulating. President Chakwera’s decision to cancel trips to OPEC and Commonwealth summits is earning praises from foreign media.
Barely 24 hours after the news broke out that President Chakwera will not attend the two summits due this month as one way of saving costs, one of Nigeria’s top publication “Sahara Reporters” carried a story hailing President Chakwera, saying the move will help the Malawi economy recovering in the shortest period possible.
While the paper commended President Chakwera’s proactive economic discipline, the paper took a swipe at President Muhammadu Buhari never-ending foreign trips despite the prevailing economic problems in their country (Nigeria).
Detailing President Buhari’s global trotting program which has seen him flying to Spain, Equatorial Guinea, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Ivory Coast, Kenya, United Kingdom in three months. The paper describes the Nigerian economic situation as hopeless needing leadership of Malawian type citing the cancellation of the two trips as being sensible amid the biting global crisis.
One paragraph reads: “His Nigerian counterpart, Muhammadu Buhari has been junketing across the world in the three months even though Nigeria is broke.”
The Publication quoted some of Buhari’s ministers who admitted that the country is in an economic mess. The Nigerian Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning Zainab Ahmed said borrowing from world bank was inevitable to offset some recurrent expenditure.
Reacting to the story whose caption is “unlike Junketing Nigeria Counterpart, Malawi President Cancels Foreign trips to cut cost, to adhere to austerity measures”, one Nigeran reader Eye G Raph said:
“The difference between the two countries is clear. While one is in tune with the reality and happenings in his country, the other reads the happenings in his country upside down.”
Izedunor Francis Ifeanyi said: “God bless the Malawian President for putting the interest of his people, country and economy ahead of frivolities. See the way your fellow African President is cutting cost?”
The cancelled trips is in line with the economic recovery austerity measures put in place by President Chakwera early this month. Among other measures President Chakwera announced restrictions on foreign trips to three in the remainder of the year.
The President said the foreign travels will only be sanctioned subject to the nature of their importance to this country.
The two cancelled trips will save K268 Million which will help financing other pressing issues in the country, according to Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Sosten Gwengwe.