Mulanje releases K120m for 37 projects under LDF

Mulanje District Council has already released K120 million (about $400 000) out of the K193 million (about $645 000) it was allocated under the Local Development Fund (LDF) in the 2012/13 budget.

In an interview last week, district commissioner Jack Ngulube said the council has so far initiated 37 projects, comprising eight teachers’ houses and 29 school blocks.

“Most projects are at slab level with a few at wall level. We are so far happy with the progress and we expect them to be completed within the set time frame,” he said.

Ngulube said electricity will be connected to houses that are close to Escom power grid but the rest will use solar energy.

Of the K193 million (about $645 000), K140 million (about $467 000) has been allocated to the Education Sector Wide Approach (Eswap), the Emergency Recovery has been given K5.5 million (about $18 333) and the rest has gone to other windows.

Khurubwe Bridge is one of the project that will benefit from the allocation.

But chairperson of the project, Dickson Jaluwa, said the devaluation of the kwacha will affect the implementation of the bridge.

“It is good that we are building the bridge on Khurubwe River. The bridge will help people to cross the river without problems, especially during the rainy season.

“In the past, farmers had problems to take their farm produce to the market,” said Jaluwa.

He said in July they collected K1.5 million (about $5 000) and they are expected to collect another cheque of the same amount which would not be enough because prices of most things have gone up due to the devaluation of the kwacha.

“We are expected to collect another cheque of K1.5 million, but we are worried that we may not be able complete the project because of the rising cost of materials. We at least needed K3 million (about $10 000) to complete the project,” he said.

Ngulube said he is aware that devaluation has an impact on implementation of projects in the district.

He, however, pointed out that funds will be transferred from projects with surplus money to those with inadequate funds.