Africa-Press – Angola. Railway and port infrastructures should be seen as driving factors for the development of the entire country, said the provincial governor, Manuel Nunes Júnior, in Benguela on Tuesday.Speaking at the traditional end-of-year greetings ceremony at the provincial Government Palace, the politician highlighted the importance of the Lobito Corridor in attracting more investment for Agriculture, Fisheries, Manufacturing Industry, Tourism, as well as for other sectors in the province and the region.
The modernisation of the railway line and port infrastructure for transporting minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia to the coast, said the governor, should not be seen as an end in itself.
“These railway and port infrastructures should be seen as a driving factor for the development of the province and the entire region, which stretches from Benguela to Moxico, and also of the entire country”, he emphasised.
Manuel Nunes Júnior also stressed that the Lobito Corridor should be a factor in attracting more investment in Agriculture, Fisheries, Manufacturing, Tourism and other sectors in the province and region where it is located.
“We need more jobs and more income so that we can have better living conditions. That is what we need and the Lobito Corridor has the potential to contribute to improving the living conditions of our populations”, he said.The Lobito Corridor, the governor of Benguela continued, can contribute to increasing national production, diversifying the economy, increasing employment and the prosperity of the population.
“We have to roll up our sleeves, especially our businesspeople, take advantage of the opportunities and work to make this happen, so that we can all benefit from this important project”, he argued.
According to Manuel Nunes Júnior, the province of Benguela has the particularity and also the privilege of hosting some projects that are strategic, not only for the province, but also for the rest of the country.
Among the projects, he stressed, the highlight is the Lobito Corridor, to which he assured that very special attention will be given, taking into account its repercussions for the country’s economy.
The strategic importance of this project, he acknowledged, is so great that it was the focus of the recent visit to the country by the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, the first trip by a US President to Angola.
In this regard, Manuel Nunes Júnior highlighted the public recognition made by the President of the Republic and Head of the Executive Branch, João Lourenço, to all those in the province and in the country who were engaged in the successful preparation and organization of the media-rich and historic event, as well as the civic and welcoming behavior demonstrated by the Angolan people.
Ongoing projectsThe provincial governor of Benguela explained that there are serious problems in the province, including education, highlighting the number of children who are not included in the education system and the large number who still study in precarious classrooms, without adequate technical and pedagogical conditions.
Manuel Nunes Júnior announced that projects are underway to build new classrooms, which will benefit more than 116 thousand students and will therefore contribute to reducing the number of children outside the education system and those who study in precarious classrooms.
In addition to the infrastructure, he admitted that there are also problems with the quality of education.
“The quality of our education is still not the most desirable, and the future of our country depends largely on the quality of education we provide to our children”, he said, adding that without adequate quality in our education system it will be impossible to have the required quality staff in the future.
The governor therefore advocated creativity and innovation, encouraging citizens to find the best solutions that contribute to improving the quality of education currently provided in schools. “This is a major challenge that we will face,” he assured.Attention to the Health Sector
Manuel Nunes Júnior promises to pay special attention to the health sector, especially primary health care, with the construction of several health posts and centres throughout the province.
“We believe that the proper functioning of these health posts and centres will make our health system more comprehensive and better prepared to provide solutions to the health problems of the communities and will contribute, above all, to reducing the great pressure that currently exists on the reference hospitals in the province”, he stressed.
Infrastructures
In the area of infrastructures, the governor said that important projects are underway in the province that will have an impact on improving the living conditions of the population.
The Benguela Integrated Infrastructures Project, which began approximately two years ago, clarified the governor, covers areas such as water supply, maintenance and conservation of the macro-drainage system, construction and rehabilitation of communication routes and rehabilitation of public buildings.
For next year, he added, the implementation of the Integrated Water Supply Project for coastal cities in the province of Benguela is planned.According to the governor, the project consists of increasing the capacity for water production, supply, storage, distribution and new household connections, reaching peripheral areas and, in particular, higher areas of cities.
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