Deputy Director General
Malawi Bureau of Standards
Total years of experience :26 years, 9 Months
(a) Providing strategic support and management to the operations of four Technical Departments at the MBS namely Standards Development (SDD), Quality Assurance Services (QASD), Technical (Testing) Services (TSD) and Metrology Services (MSD); (b)Coordinating Industrial Research, Training and Consultancy Unit (IRTACU) services to industry;
(c)Chairperson for IRTACU and Management Systems Subcommittees for the MBS;
(d) Conducting Industrial Audits for Certification of products and services to ensure conformance with Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ) standards;
(e)Implementing management systems based on three standards namely MS-ISO 17025 for testing and calibration laboratory competence for TSD and MSD and MS-ISO17021 for certification of Quality Management Systems (QMS) based on ISO9001:2008/2015;
(f)Preparing and review of budgets, cost statements and quarterly progress reports for the technical departments;
(g)National Project Coordinator for the SQAM project implemented by MBS with support from EU/UNDP/UNIDO running for period 2012 to 2016;
(h)Deputising the Director General in running the affairs of the MBS and specifically Acting Director General, 12th December 2018 to 20th February 2019;
(a) Strategic planning and management of operations of Technical Services Department (TSD) comprising 7 laboratories and 40+ members offering physical, chemical and microbiological testing of samples such as Foods & Feeds, Soaps & Detergents, Water & Effluents, Petrochemicals, and Pesticides, Packaging Materials, Textiles, Leather;
(b) Coordinating Industrial Research, Consultancy and Instrument Support Services to industry;
(c) Conducting Industrial Audits for Certification of products and services to ensure conformance with Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ) standards;
(d)Implementing ISO 17025 for laboratory competence leading to accreditation;
(e) Preparing and review of budgets, cost statements and quarterly progress reports for the department;
(f)Ensuring department has adequate and productive human and material resources;
(g)Chairperson and Coordinator for Industrial Research & Consultancy, Commercial Training, Productivity Improvement Program and Medical Aid Scheme, 2007 todate;
Achievements at MBS
(a)Initiatives towards establishment of a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS);
(b)Initiated and implemented joint venture project for MBS over the operation of BP Lubricants Laboratory;
(c)Initiated Productivity Improvement & Workculture Change Program for MBS, May2007;
(d)Initiator and 1st Chairperson for Laboratory Association of Malawi (LAM) Steering Committee launched 17th June 2013;
(e)Pioneer for the Science Centre Project launched at the Museums of Malawi, 26th October 2014;
(f)Initiator and main counterpart for IAEA supported project on “Establishment of a National Radioanalytical Laboratory for the testing of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in the environment”, 2009 to 2014;
(g)National Project Coordinator for EU/UNDP/Malawi Government funded project on development of a robust Standardisation, Quality Assurance Accreditation and Metrology (SQAM) project with technical assistance from UNIDO, 2012-2016;
(h)Establishment of the Laboratory Association of Malawi with financial support from PTB Germany through SADC SQAM Project Secretariat, June 2013;
(i)As Scientific Officer for MBS during June 1993 -May 1995 commissioned new GC methods for Pesticides analysis;
(a)Management of Sugar Quality Control Labs, Refinery Sugar Decolourisation and Effluent Plants with some 40 Shift and Non-Shift personnel;
(b)Lead Auditor for ISO Quality Management and HACCP Food Safety Systems leading to certification to ISO9001;
(c)Promoting Good Laboratory & Manufacturing Practices for Workers Occupational Safety and Health;
(d)Programming and Maintainance of the Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS);
(e)Mass Balance computations & publishing of Daily, Weekly and Monthly factory Performance Reports;
(f)Inventorisation, Procurement, Installation and Standardization of Equipment and Chemicals;
(g)Preparation of Budgets, Analysis of Cost statements and Implementation of Cost Reduction measures;
Achievements
Key Person in the Commissioning and Operationalisation of four successful new Projects:
(a) Refinery Granulated Activated Carbon (GAC) Plant for Sugar Decolourisation, March-June 2000;
(b)Factory Effluent Handling Plant for Waste and Environmental Management, April 2003;
(c)Infowave Weighbridge Data System for Capturing and Reporting of Cane Haulage, May 2003;
(d)Infowave Pilot CaneLab System LIMS, replacement for Autolab used in Illovo Mills, April 2004;
(a)Conducting R&D and Coordinating MIRTDC Chemical, Food & Environmental Expert Panels;
(b)Execution of Internally Generated Projects for Appraisal and Development of Industrial Raw Materials;
(c)Provision of Industrial Extension and Consultancy Services to industry i.e externally driven projects;
(d)Representing MIRTDC on Technical Committees on Environment, Genetic Resources and Biodiversity in the Environmental Affairs Department;
Achievements
(a)Developed Small Scale Technologies for Production of Ethanol, Salt and Soda from Locally available Raw Materials, mainly in Chikwawa; Salt project majorly funded by UNIDO; 1995-1999;
(b)Installed a UNESCO-Funded Semi-Industrial Biogas Plant for salt processing in Chikwawa as substitute for fuelwood, 1998-2000;
(c)Trained over 100 Small Scale Entrepreneurs in Food Processing under the UNDP Enterprise Development and Employment Creation (EDEC) Programme; Malawi, 1999;
(d)Participated in consultancy to develop a Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises in Malawi for Ministry of Commerce and Industry, September 1995;
(e)Team member in a UNESCO/MIRTDC Consultancy on Environmental Benefits of using Renewable Energy Resources in Malawi, 1998;
(f)Collaborated with international Consulting Experts in Environmental Studies on the Mapping and Quantification of Agroindustrial Residues in Malawi, MIRTDC/Danish Technology Institute, August 1998; Rural electrification from Biogas in Malawi. A Prefeasibility Study financed by UNIDO; Blantyre: 1996;
Major Research Project: The Creation of Science World Limited: A One-Stop Testing and Consultancy Centre In Malawi. Action Research Project: Good People – Great Firms, A Review of Harcourt’s Position in the New Zealand Market.
The Extraction and Purification of Sodium Chloride from Saline Soils .