Over 200 new boreholes for Maputo and Gaza

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Over 200 new boreholes for Maputo and Gaza

3:26 CAT | 03 Aug 2018

Photo: Notícias

The Mozambican Public Works Minister Joao Machatine and the Chinese ambassador Su Jian, on Wednesday formally launched in the locality of Mafuiane, in Namaacha district, a project under which 202 boreholes will be opened in the southern provinces of Maputo and Gaza.

The Chinese government is funding the project through a donation of 370 million meticais (about 6.4 million US dollars at current exchange rates).

In Maputo province, the project will drill 102 boreholes, with the rest being opened in neighbouring Gaza. It will provide drinking water for over 60,000 rural residents. Work began in December last year and will end in 2019.

According to Machatine, the project is part of the government’s strategy of working with partners to fund the programme to increase the coverage of the water supply network throughout the national territory.

The Minister challenged the provincial governments of Maputo and Gaza to invest in community participation and education programmes to ensure that the wells are maintained by the users.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Su Jian noted that the project is of huge importance for local people and has a special significance to his government because it once more reinforces the ties of cooperation between the two peoples.

The ambassador stressed that the funding is part of China’s support across the African continent. He added that in September, his government will hold the China-Africa Cooperation Forum in Beijing. The event will reaffirm his government’s support in the areas of energy, natural resources, health and education.

He noted that Maputo and Gaza have both suffered from drought over recent years. In response, his government had financed opening boreholes.

The Mozambican government is continuing to work with other partners to meet the demand for clean water. Machatine told reporters, “this morning we signed a financial agreement with our Dutch partners for a study on a water supply system for the towns of Nametil, Malema, Namialo, and Namapa. The feasibility study will cost 360,000 euros and seeks to increase the rate of coverage in the northern province of Nampula by about 18 per cent”.

The water supply systems in these towns are malfunctioning or non-existent. As a result, water coverage levels stand at 13 per cent. The total population of the four towns is about 200,000 people.

Source: AIM