The Malawi Congress of Trade United has said it is dismayed with the increase in tariffs of utility fees by service providers in the country.
In a statement signed by its President Charles Kumchenga and Secretary General Madalitso Njolomole, the union says it is dismayed with the latest revelation that Water Boards in the country have increased water tariffs by almost 50 percent while Electricity Supply Commission of Malawi (ESCOM) intends to increase electricity tariffs by 69.7 percent.
The Union says these adjustments are contradictory to the demands that were made during the commemoration of the 2023 Labour Day on 1 May.
“During the commemoration earlier in May we called upon government through the State President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera to subsidize or revise downwards water and electricity tariffs in the country in order to increase access to safe and portable water and clean energy for the citizens of Malawi. However, MCTU believes that these adjustments are exorbitant for an average Malawian and have come at a time when the majority of Malawians have not fully recovered from the economic shock caused by forex scarcity, negative impacts of cyclone Freddy among other things”, reads part of the statement.
According to the statement, the Union has proposed several directions to be made to ease the situation.
“Water and electricity tariffs should be revised upwards with less than 20 percent considering that majority of Malawians live below the poverty line, Government should subsidize water and electricity so that majority of Malawians can have access and afford safe water and clean energy, Government should promote alternative source of electricity by ensuring that Malawians start investing and using solar or renewable energy, Government should reduce/remove tax on the importation of Solar Lighting Materials and reduce prices of energy saver Bulbs and that Government should establish a national taskforce that should scrutinize the proposed tariff hikes and MCTU should be in that taskforce together with other stakeholders.” the statement reads.
During the Labour Day cerebrations, President Chakwera said his administration will make efforts to act on persistent appeals for more jobs, good wages and all accompanying benefits.
The commemoration took place at Masintha ground in Lilongwe.
