Block 3 – Magazine PRO | Malawi Observer | News with a difference

NBS Bank concludes ‘Win a Car’ promo

Malawi Observer

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9 August 2022

**A journalist draws a winner in the promotion**

Listed NBS Bank plc has concluded a four month ‘Win a Car’ promotion which has seen a teacher named Humphrey Sandram being a proud owner of a Tayota Vits.

Speaking in Blantyre during the final draw of the promotion, NBS Bank plc Head of Marketing and Customer Experience Tamanda Longwe said the promotion was aimed at promoting a saving culture amongst their customers and also encouraging them to transact using their various digital platforms.

For customers to win prizes in the promotion which also included fridges and cash, all they had to do was to open a savings or current account, deposit a minimum of K50,000, plus register on at least 2 digital products for new customers while existing customers were required to deposit a minimum of MK50,000 into their savings or current account and conduct at least 3 transactions on any digital products.

“This has been an exciting time for our customers as well as a rewarding one as the Bank has always been passionate about positively changing the lives of our customers by providing financial solutions that offer convenience as well as an impact on their lives,” said Longwe.

She gave some examples of how the Bank has impacted on the lives of ordinary Malawians.

“The Bank changed the life of a Primary school teacher in Liwonde after she won a house worth K20million in the NBS Bank Nyumba Yanga promotion in 2015. Another customer from Area 25 Lilongwe won a shop full of groceries worth K3million in the NBS Bank Win A Shop Promotion in 2019. Lastly, another customer, a vegetable seller from Rumphi, also won a MK15million house in the Win A House Promotion in Mzuzu City in 2014.”

“The rewards we give are in line with our tagline ‘Your Caring Bank’. Being a local Bank, we feel that our impact must be felt beyond simply offering ‘Eazy’ banking solutions,” said Longwe.

NBM plc concludes Independence month promotion

Malawi Observer

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9 August 2022

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NBM plc concludes Independence month promotion

**NBM plc Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager Akossa Hiwa**

National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc has concluded a month-long Independence month promotion where the bank was running quizzes on its social media pages on facts about Malawi as part of 58 years independence celebrations in the month of July.

The promotion saw 20 people who got the questions right winning the Bank’s My Fuel card loaded with K100,000 worth of fuel or cash if they did not want the fuel and another 20 people getting hampers with Malawian products worth k50,000.

NBM plc Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager Akossa Hiwa said in an interview yesterday that the Bank is satisfied with the promotion which created excitement among Malawians about some facts about their country.

“We are happy that the promotion created excitement as many people participated and all of us, ourselves inclusive, learned some interesting facts about our country. Our social media pages were very active during this period and the engagement on the Trivia cascaded to engagement on our products, services and general information. As ‘The Bank of the Nation’ we found it meaningful to conduct this promotion during the independence celebrations month of July,” said Hiwa.

Throughout the month of July, the Bank posted trivia questions on its Facebook page every Friday. .

Esau Kalungulu, a fourth year Public Health student at Malamulo College of Health Sciences who won K100,000.00, hailed NBM plc for the promotion.

“This money will really help me in my education because I won it when I was too broke. I wish the Bank could have conducted this promotion for at least two months. But I am grateful to NBM plc for the trivia quiz promotion that has taught us about our country,” said Kalungulu.

He said he won after correctly responding to which medical school in the United States of America (USA) Malawi’s first President the late Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda graduated from. Kalungulu’s answer was Meharry Medical School.

PIL ‘fuels’ Senga Bay Primary School with textbooks

Malawi Observer

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9 August 2022

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PIL ‘fuels’ Senga Bay Primary School with textbooks

**Msimuko (left) presents the books to Chigwetseni and other pupils at Senga Bay primary School**

Petroleum Importers Limited (PIL) has donated textbooks worth K3 million to Senga Bay Primary School in Salima as part of its corporate social responsibility programme.

PIL General Manager, Martin Msimuko led the staff in the exercise on the sidelines of a business review meeting which was held in Salima at the weekend.

“Petroleum Importers Limited with the approval from the board decided to help with learning materials to Senga Bay primary school as part of giving back to the community. PIL believes that education is key to development and that it is only educated youths that can help in the socio-economic development of our country.”

“We know that education helps ordinary young men become extraordinary citizens of their country, with this donation of books we believe the learners will be recharged to work extra hard in their studies,” said Msimuko.

He added that PIL is aware that many schools in the country lack a lot of things for their education to go on smoothly.

“That is why PIL has education support as one of the important pillars in its Corporate Social Responsibility programs. We are ready to support the government to ensure that our learners have adequate learning materials for them to excel in their education,” explained Msimuko.

**PIL staff members presents the books to Senga Bay Primary School pupils**

Senga Bay Primary School Headteacher, Daliken Chigwetseni commended PIL for the donation saying it will help the learners follow lessons as they are being taught.

Chigwetseni then pleaded for more assistance saying the books will still not be enough for 2257 pupils at the schools.

“During the COVID-19 holiday, we gave some few remaining books to the pupils for studies, but most of them were not returned. Teaching without textbooks has really been a challenge until PIL remembered us. We are grateful,” he said.

Cecilia Njoka, a Standard Seven pupil also thanked PIL for the assistance.

“The situation has been forcing us to be learning in pairs or groups sharing a book, but this time we will be able to follow what we are taught with a book each,” she said.

According to Chigwetseni, out of the total number of pupils at the school, 1080 are boys.

PIL imports bulk fuel into the country since 1999 and is wholly owned by Puma Energy Limited, TotalEnergies Malawi Limited, Petroda Limited, and Vivo Energy.

GET TO KNOW BRIGHT MSAKA (SC):DPP’s Presidential Hopeful

Malawi Observer

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7 August 2022

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GET TO KNOW BRIGHT MSAKA (SC):DPP’s Presidential Hopeful

Get to know Bright Msaka SC-The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) eastern region Vice President who has declared his interest to join the race for the DPP presidency at the convention slated for 2023.

BUT WHO IS BRIGHT MSAKA SC? Here is his profile;

Bright Msaka SC (Senior Counsel) is a Malawian politician, long serving diplomat, a former cabinet minister in different portfolios, former Secretary to the President and Cabinet for a period of Nine (9) years and a lawyer by profession who was born on 4th October 1959.

He is the current Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Vice President for Eastern Region and a Member of Malawi Parliament for Machinga Likwenu Constituency since May 2019.

BACKGROUND:

Bright Msaka SC was born in Zomba district from the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Kuntumanje. He did his Primary school education at Nkasaulo F. P school in Machinga District and proceeded to Zomba Catholic Secondary School (also known as Box 2) where he obtained his Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE).

He then later got selected to University of Malawi, Chancellor College in 1978 to further his studies from where he graduated with a Law Degree in 1983.

He holds LLB (Hons) from University of Malawi (UNIMA)-Chancellor College, Masters of Science (MSc) in Global Management from University of Salford in the United Kingdom(UK), a Public Private Partnerships (PPP) Diploma from IP3, Washington DC.

He got Conferred the Status of Senior Counsel (SC) in 2009.

EARLY CAREER:

Bright Msaka SC was admitted to practice as a lawyer in Malawi from 1983 and his areas of emphasis were Commercial litigation, Personal Injury liability claims, Restructuring, Insurance Claims, Libel, Civil and Criminal Litigation.

His major clients were Banks, Road Construction companies, Tobacco Companies, International Shipping companies, Insurance Companies, Trading Corporations, and Motor Vehicle Franchise Holders

He also served as an academician as follows;

1. 1987-1992: Examiner, English Company Law for ACCA Accountants board.

2. 1992-1993: Examiner, Malawi Company Law for ACCA Accountants board.

3. 1993-1994: Lecturer in Law (Civil Procedure), University of Malawi, Chancellor College, Zomba.

DIPLOMATIC CAREER

After a successful legal and academic career of over ten years, Bright Msaka SC accepted to serve as a diplomat in several postings as follows:

1. High Commissioner for the Republic of Malawi to Canada

Duration: 12 Jan 1995- Sept 1998