Africa-Press – Malawi. Stakeholders in the private business sector, have contributed over 50,000 tree seedlings to Blantyre Water Board (BWB) for the restoration of green cover of the water utility service provider’s Mudi Catchment Area.
The corporate companies and organisations include Water for People with 11,000 tree seedlings; FDH Bank (10,000); audit firm Deloitte and security company G4S (5,000 each); Castel Malawi (2,500); Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Old Mutual Malawi, Mandala Lions Club (2,000 each); Kalibu Academy (1,500); as well as 200 each from Malawi University of Business & Applied Sciences (MUBAS), among others.
Graced by Deputy Minister of Water & Sanitation, Liana Kakhobwe Chapota, BWB officially launched its 2024 Forestry Season at the catchment area along road to Nkolokoti opposite Our Lady of Wisdom Secondary School where the Minister applauded the stakeholders for their investment.
She emphasised that restoration of the country’s green cover needs the support from every citizen and she also recognised the presence of traditional chiefs, led by Senior Chief Kapeni, for being part of the delegation to launch BWB’s tree planting season.
She said this after Senior Chief Kapeni had asked his fellow chiefs to be responsible in sensitising their charges from encroaching into Mudi Catchment Area to cultivate crops and also to be vigilant by alerting BWB whenever they discover anyone stealing the trees that have been restored in the past few years.
Senior Chief Kapeni observed that Mudi Catchment Area is being restored back to its past glory and further encouraged people sorrounding the area to continue respecting the important role it plays as a watershed for BWB’s supply of water to its customers.
Thus, the deputy Minister acknowledged the Senior Chief’s sentiments as very important for the sustainable water resource for the next generation, emphasising the devastation caused by Cyclone Freddy last year, should serve as a lesson that it is vital to conserve and protect the environment, whose deforestation has led to climate change that is bringing many challenges to the weather patterns.
She also implored on the youths to be part of the conservation and protection of the environment and applauded BWB for involving schools that are neighbouring Mudi Catchment Area — Our Lady of Wisdom; Chichiri Secondary, Ndirande Hill Secondary; St. Kizito Primary; Makhetha Primary and also Ndirande Youth Group.
Also in his remarks, Senior Chief Kapeni had asked BWB to include other senior citizens in the exercise, and not just the youths, as they are the contributors of deforestation of the catchment area where they were defying the regulations not to cultivate on it.
Soon after multiparty was embraced in the country, members of Ndirande communities encroached on Mudi Catchment Area, cutting down trees to create spaces for cultivation despite BWB’s warnings not to do so until a few years ago when the company strictly enforced the law.
Many efforts were done to replace the trees with support from stakeholders and have reaped fruits as there some beautiful green cover.
In his speech, BWB’s chairperson, Joe Ching’ani also responded to Senior Chief Kapeni’s request, pledging that going forward, senior citizens shall also be engaged to spread the message of the conservation and protection of the environment — especially on Mudi Catchment Area.
He described their annual forestry season as solid trademark of BWB’s belief in conservation and protection of the environment as the catchment area is one important asset of providing water to the communities.
He impressed on the youths that forest cover has many benefits such as prevention of soil erosion, evaporation, land degradation and providing healthy watersheds for farming communities.
For More News And Analysis About Malawi Follow Africa-Press
