By Chisomo Phiri
The Non-Government Organisations Regulatory Authority (NGORA) has threatened to shut down NGOs that do not abide by laws in their operations.
This is due to the fact that in 2023, only 432 out of the 982 registered non-governmental organisations submitted audited reports, indicating a 61 percent compliance rate.
NGORA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Edward Chileka Banda, says the regulatory body has given the non compliant NGOs a three months notice to abide by the legislation.
Banda says all non-governmental organisations that have not complied by March 31, 2024, would be removed from the database since they are ineligible to operate within the nation.
Says Banda:” We are currently issuing licenses to compliant NGOs that submitted reports in 2023. All NGOs that did not comply are therefore, are instructed to comply by March 31,2024, beyond which non-compliant NGOs shall not be allowed to operate in Malawi.
“Only NGOs that are registered and have valid annual licenses will be allowed to operate in the country as per the NGO Law.”
Banda added that the authority is currently also engaging all NGOs urging them to comply, as the government is initiating programs to deepen and strengthen the sector.
NGORA was established as a statutory body by an act of Parliament, the NGO (Amendment) Act 2022.
Its mandate is to register and regulate the operations of all NGOs in Malawi.
As a government agency, NGORA is under the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare.
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