Blantyre Water Board asks for support on Mulanje water project
Blantyre Water Board (BWB) has asked people of Mulanje to support its Mulanje Mountain water project.
BWB Acting Chief Executive Officer, Henry Bakuwa, made the call on Friday when the parastatal donated desks and books to Ulongwe Model and Pasani Primary Schools in the district.
The call comes as the board plans to start tapping water from the mountain to Blantyre.
Bakuwa said the donation which is worth K2 million is part of the board’s corporate social responsibility.
He said the board wants to develop mutual understanding with the communities before it starts tapping water from the district.
“People of Mulanje will provide labour for the project, hence it is essential for the board to meet their needs. The success of this project depends on the mutual relationship that exists between the Blantyre Water Board and the communities around here. This donation is part of our support and we also ask for their support,” Bakuwa said.
Ulongwe Zone Primary School Advisor, Clyton Malinda, applauded BWB for the gesture, describing it as timely.
Malinda said that primary school pupils in the zone are facing challenges such as lack of learning materials, hence the desks and the books would improve education standards.
“This donation has come at the right time because there are many challenges our pupils are facing here. We had pupils who are learning whilst sitting on the floor but these desks will assist a lot,” Malinda said.
Member of Parliament for the area, who is also Minister of Local Government, Kondwani Nankhumwa, urged other companies and organisations to emulate BWB’s example, saying government alone cannot do everything.
Meanwhile, a contractor from India, SMS Infrastructure, who has been hired to undertake the project, is expected to arrive in the country this coming Sunday for negotiations.
Tapping water from Mulanje Mountain to Blantyre will cost the board about $24 million.
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