A taskforce has come in swiftly to lobby Parliament to enact National Arts and Heritage Council (Nahec) Draft Bill into law, which they say is long overdue.
In a statement dated August 27 2024, the Nahec taskforce led by its chairperson Maxwell Chiphinga, who is also National Theatre Association of Malawi (Ntam) president, says their expectations are that the Nahec Draft Bill will see the light of the day during this sitting of Parliament.
The call comes as Parliament commenced deliberations on Monday.
“We have done all we can to push Nahec Draft Bill, which to the creative sector is very crucial to be passed in Parliament. We have met our line ministry, we have engaged the Parliamentary committee responsible and we have made petitions and despite the assurances, the Draft Bill is still stuck out there,” Chiphinga said.
Popularly known as Max DC, Chiphinga said they were assured during the previous session that Nahec Draft Bill is ready and that it would go to Parliament during this sitting.
“Arts and cultural products have the ability to bring in foreign currency to the country above all other exports that we have. Nahec Draft Bill has the potential to unlock the hidden potential of this great nation,” Chiphinga said.
He said in the petition that they delivered to Parliament in 2022, they highlighted that the Draft Bill, should be given priority because it does not just align with Malawi’s 2063 development agenda, but it also seeks to catapult government’s immediate agenda of creating one million jobs.
Director of Arts in the Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Humphrey Mpondaminga, last month told The Daily Times that they had submitted the Draft Bill to the Cabinet.
Recently Deputy Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Owen Chomanika assured creatives that they had made headway with the Nahec Draft Bill and “that soon it will be enacted in Parliament”.
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