Communities commend public works programme
Communities around Chikutu catchment area in Karonga say the Enhanced Public Works Programme (EPWP) will reduce land degradation along river banks.
The catchment area’s foreman Nixon Mlenga said this on Friday during a tour of Karonga District Council officials to the site.
He said through the programme, they have controlled floods along Kasantha River by constructing stone bands, planting trees and banana suckers.
“We used to experience floods in the area that damaged homes and swept away crops,” said Mlenga.
On his part, Karonga District National Local Government Finance Committee liaison officer Geoffrey Ntengula said the community’s work along the river bank will preserve the arable land that was degraded due to run-off water.
“I am impressed with the community’s work. Besides conserving the environment through constructing stone bands along the river, they have also planted bananas that will be used as a source of food and income,” he said.
Ntengula said they will continue to provide support to the district’s five catchment areas.
EPWP is being implemented in 10 districts, namely Chitipa, Karonga, Nkhotakota, Kasungu, Dowa, Lilongwe, Balaka, Chiradzulu, Phalombe and Blantyre on a pilot phase with support from World Bank.
