By Feston Malekezo:
Thazima gravity piped water supply scheme contractor H.E Jackson Engineering Limited has asked for a three-month extension of the project period from the government.
The project is being implemented in Nyika National Park in the Northern Region.
Originally scheduled for completion by March this year, the project faces delays primarily due to logistical challenges related to the shipment of construction materials, as cited by the contractor.
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Timothy Bertrand, who is the company’s regional manager for the Northern Region, said there will be no extra costs that will be paid for the time the contractor will be on site.
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Bertrand outlined the project’s scope on Friday when officials from the government, Peace Parks Foundation, Malawi- Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area, traditional and other opinion leaders inspected progress of works, currently at 45 percent.
He said the project will lay 96 kilometres (km) of pipeline, out of which 50km have been laid down.
Bertrand further said construction activities, notably the erection of structures at the treatment plant and the ongoing work on three storage tanks, are progressing steadily.
“We are committed to finishing the work by June 12, 2024, and this is our plan,” he said.
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Commenting on the extension request, Catherine Chunga, Principal Parks and Wildlife Officer, acknowledged the inevitable challenges faced in project implementation and expressed confidence that the additional three months would facilitate the project’s successful completion.
“In any project, there are some issues that contractors have to sort out and the additional period is welcome. I think, with the three months period, they will be able to complete the work,” she said.
Similarly, Rumphi District Commissioner Emmanuel Bulukutu said the project is important to the people of Mzimba and Rumphi and that the involvement of community members in the implementation of the project has been pivotal.
Bulukutu said, once completed, the project is expected to benefit about 33,000 households in areas under Traditional Authority Mpherembe in Rumphi and Inkosi Mpherembe in Mzimba District.
In his remarks, Inkosi Mpherembe said, in the past, government drilled boreholes in the area despite that water was salty.
“Otherwise, access to potable water in my area has been a nightmare,” he said.
The $4.4 million project is being funded by KFW through Peace Parks Foundation and Malawi- Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area.
