Minister pledges swift response to disasters
Minister of Transport and Public Works Jappie Mhango has pledged government’s commitment to swiftly respond to the damage incessant rains have caused to infrastructure such as the road network and bridges.
Speaking after inspecting Makumba Bridge, one of the affected structures in Traditional Authority (T/A) Chowe in Mangochi District, the minister said it is sad the country has experienced another worst disaster which has claimed human lives, washed away crops and destroyed properties.
Said Mhango: “We regret the loss of lives during the natural disasters. We are also touched with the loss of people’s properties. We will ensure that we assist the people and restore the damaged infrastructure.”
The minister’s remarks come against a background of incessant rains affecting 22 000 households or 110 000 people in the country, killing 26 while 11 are reported missing and 29 others sustained injuries.
During the visit, Mhango said part of government’s quick response was the engagement of Motal-Engil to rehabilitate the four damaged bridges along the Mangochi-Makanjira Road. The damage cut off communities in the Makanjira area.
Motal-Engil project manager for Mangochi-Liwonde Road, Jose Manuel Pereira, pledged speedy reconstruction of the bridges.
He indicated the works would be completed within a week, adding that at the moment, they will construct a diversion to connect people.
Said Perreira: “We have assembled enough machines and materials to be used in the construction.”
Mangochi North legislator Benedicto Chambo (Democratic Progressive Party-DPP), while applauding government for the quick response, appealed to well-wishers to help people affected by the natural disasters and in rehabilitating the damaged bridges, saying the situation needs combined efforts.
President Peter Mutharika has since declared a State of National Disaster in the affected districts following the damage that did not spare the energy sector as the Electricity Generation Company of Malawi (Egenco) was on Friday forced to shut down its Nkula and Kapichira hydro-power stations. This saw Egenco lose about 270 megawatts (MW) of hydro generation capacity against the available capacity of 320MW.
