Malawi has been named among the top three countries in infrastructure transparency, demonstrating its commitment to publish dependable data, it has emerged.
This follows the presentation of an international award to Construction Sector Transparency (CoST) Malawi, the national chapter of the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative, in Lilongwe on Friday.
The award, which recognises reliable and timely publication of data in the construction sector, positions Malawi as a regional leader in transparent infrastructure governance, according to CoST Malawi board chairperson Samuel Bitoni.
He described the recognition as “a big milestone” for the country, which becomes one of three member States out of 16 in the CoST international network, to receive the accolade.
Said Bitoni: “This recognition means that the data we publish on public infrastructure is not only dependable, but also secure and relevant throughout the entire project cycle.
“It [the award] enhances both public and private sector confidence in using this data for decision-making.”
At the heart of the award is the Information Platform for Public Infrastructure (IPPI), a digital portal that discloses public project data.
The platform provides access to construction project details from planning to completion, supplemented by quarterly reports.
Bitoni said the platform addresses a long-standing lack of public awareness regarding infrastructure developments.
National Construction Industry Council chief executive officer Gerald Khonje, whose organisation hosts the CoST Malawi secretariat, noted that the award reflects a strong culture of information disclosure.
“It is a testament to the commitment of stakeholders across government, the private sector, civil society and donor institutions,” he said.
Over the past years, CoST Malawi has taken a number of initiatives to improve transparency, integrity and accountability of the construction sector in the country.
