Mozambique: Health workers announce second phase of strike
Nyusi launches water supply programme in Mueda, Cabo Delgado – AIM report
8:42 CAT | 01 Oct 2018
Photo: Facebook
Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Monday launched a new water supply programme, known as Pravida (Water for Life Programme), an investment that will cost the Mozambican state about 4.8 billion meticais (around 80 million US dollars at current exchange rates).
Pravida is intended to rehabilitate and expand water systems in towns and cities across the country, including the Greater Maputo region, Beira, Pemba, Nacala, and Cuamba. Smaller towns and districts covered include Chibuto, Massangena, Chigubo and Chicualauala in Gaza province, Mabote, Jangamo, Homoine and Morrumbene in Inhambane, and Mueda in Cabo Delgado. Over a million people are expected to benefit from the programme.
Nyusi launched the programme in Mueda, where there has been a chronic shortage of water for many years, due to the complex hydro-geology of the region.
Nyusi stressed that the programme will be implemented with funds from Mozambique’s own state budget. “We are doing this proudly in order to increase the availability of water in both rural and urban areas”.
He added that this is an integrated programme, which should have multiplier effects on health, education and agriculture.
In health improved supply of clean drinking water should reduce the incidence of water-borne diseases, while in agriculture it will guarantee the irrigation of over 1,800 hectares of crops, and provide drinking water for over 73,000 head of livestock.
In education, it is expected that the programme will provide drinking water to schools, but will also cut the distance pupils (mostly girls) have to walk in order to obtain water for their households. Pupils often miss classes or are delayed because they have been fetching water. In some semi-arid areas this can involve walking for over ten kilometres.
“Pravida will be added value for speedily achieving the dream of our government of making enough good quality water available to meet the challenges of the sustainable socio-economic development of Mozambique”, said the President.
Nyusi said that Pravida cannot respond to all the country’s water needs and so the government will continue to mobilise investments from its cooperation partners or through public-private partnerships for projects to guarantee the availability of water.
An example of this, he added, was the signing on Monday morning, by Finance Minister Adriano Maleiane, of a Grant agreement with the African Development Bank (ADB) for 22 million dollars.
“Of this sum, seven million dollars is going to conclude the Massingir dam”, said Nyusi. “This means more water for irrigation and for consumption in the Massingir area” (in Gaza province).
Similar ceremonies to launch Pravida are taking place in the other provinces, where the ceremonies are being chaired by the provincial governors.
Source: AIM
Show comments
Also read
Leave a Reply
Be the First to Comment!
You must be logged in to post a comment.
You must be logged in to post a comment.