Africa-Press – Malawi. The Central Region Water Board (CRWB) is in need of $583.5 million (about K600 billion) to successfully implement about 12 projects of supplying water to slightly over 700,000 people in the region.
The board disclosed this recently in Dowa when it oriented the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Climate Change on the construction of the K66 billion Kholongo Multipurpose Dam for Mponera Town. CRWB Chief Executive Officer John Makwenda said the projects are contained in the board’s strategic plan to meet the growing demand of water.
“Most of those projects were supposed to take off yesterday but we realised that resources are limited; so, we are working on priorities. If resources were available, we would start all those projects because we have that need,” Makwenda said.
The earmarked projects include Dwangwa Multipurpose Dam, Dedza Multipurpose Dam, Bua- Chinkhoma Water Supply and Sanitation Project as well as Salima Town Water Supply and Sanitation Project.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Water and Sanitation Elias Chimulambe said the government has a list of towns earmarked to be turned into secondary cities and Mponera is one of them, hence the Kholongo project to supply clean water.
“Our ministry came up with the project to supply adequate potable water to the residents of Mponera,” Chimulambe said.
Chairperson for the Natural Resources and Climate Change Committee of Parliament Werani Chilenga commended the board for the project and assured it of the committee’s support. He said CRWB has not been getting the support it needs as compared to other water boards within Malawi.
“We are more than willing to support them. Let me assure the Central Region Water Board and Malawians that, as Parliament, we are more than geared to support the Central Region Water Board the way we have supported other water boards,” Chilenga said.
Apart from supplying water, the Kholongo Multipurpose Dam is expected to be used for irrigation, fish farming and tourist attraction activities. The project is expected to benefit over 153,000 people who will be supplied with potable water. Mathews Kasanda is a journalist who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from University of Malawi (The Polytechnic).
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