President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika will today afternoon January 18, 2016 officially commission the Balaka Cotton Ginnery.

This has been disclosed in a statement from the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) released to the press signed by Presidential Press officer Chikondi Juma.

According to the statement, Mutharika will arrive at the Ginnery at about One O’clock in the afternoon.

Activities to mark the official opening of the Ginnery will take place at Balaka L.E.A School ground.

Earlier in the day, President Mutharika presided over the official launch of the 2015/ 16 National Forestry Season held in at Masasa CCAP Primary School Ground in the area of Traditional Authority Masasa in Ntcheu district.

In his speech, Mutharika attributed the weather changes being experienced in the country due to the continued cutting down of trees.

Mutharika urged Malawians across the country to plant a tree in this tree planting season.

The President also led Malawians in observing a minutes of silence in honour of those people who lost their lives due to floods that affected seven districts across the country during the last year’s growing season.