Padlock Award was wake up call, says BCC

Padlock Award was wake up call, says BCC

WINDHOEK, Namibia, 03 October 2015 / PRN Africa / -- The Blantyre City Council (BCC) says the Padlock Award they won in 2014 was a wakeup call and has helped them improve tremendously in as far as information dissemination to the public is concerned.




BCC emerged the runner up to the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) in this year's Golden Key Award.




Speaking at Malawi Sun Hotel in Blantyre on Wednesday during a Right to Know awards ceremony, BCC Public Relations Manager Anthony Kasunda said after last year's Padlock Award, the institution embarked on a number of initiatives to improve its relations with the public and the media.




"We have just unveiled a website and we are about to launch a magazine for the council. We also set up social media platforms on Facebook and Twitter which are regularly updated," said Kasunda, who joined the council immediately after presenting the Padlock award to BCC as Misa-Malawi chairperson.


"We now have an open door policy for both the media and the public and we will make sure that we continue engaging the public," Kasunda said.




He warned MEC that the council will give them stiff competition for the Golden Key Award in 2016. MEC retained the Golden Key Award after winning the coveted MISA Award in 2014 and 2015.


MEC Press Officer Chikondi Mvula promised that MEC will continue improving its public information systems to keep the people well informed about its plans and operations


"We are very honored and excited to win this award for the second year running. We will continue to provide information to Malawians because we believe that people can make informed decisions when they have the right information. It is our duty to provide Malawians with information and we will continue doing our best and win this award again in 2016," Mvula said.




In his remarks, MISA Malawi chairperson Thom Khanje said MEC was able to retain the Golden Key Award because it maintained high standard that enabled it to triumph in 2014.




Blantyre Water Board, (BWB), which was the second best open institution in 2014, has lost its position to BCC.




This year, 10 public institutions were sampled for the research including BCC, BWB, Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST), Department of Disaster Management Affaires (Dodma), National Aids Commission (MEC), Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development.




SOURCE Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)


-------
Profile: intent