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‘Skilled plant operators vital for water sector’

The Southern Region Water Board (SRWB) says the water sector in Malawi requires special expertise at all levels for it to deliver efficient service to the public.

SRWB chief executive officer Martin Chizalema said this in the lakeshore district of Mangochi on Saturday when he closed a six-week training of plant operators and assistants at Chigweje Institute of Water Management and Development.

He observed that SRWB used to appoint people who were not skilled to the positions of plant assistants, and with experience, promoted them to the post of plant operators and water supervisors.

“This situation is like that because there is no training institution or technical college in Malawi that trains people in water extractions, treatment and distribution,” he said.

He also said the board has been working with other water boards and Teveta to find a solution to the problem saying, the effort has seen the water sector developing training modules for plant operators in the country.

In his remarks, SRWB human resources administration manager Duncan Chimbamba outlined the effectiveness of the training to the participants.

He said that plant operation skills are most critical for the board to achieve goals and objectives set in its 2011-2016 strategic plan.

The 29 participants were drawn from all the SRWB zones and the board has since 2004 trained 140 plant operators.

 

 

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