- THE PROVINCIAL MINISTER, HON. NJAVWA SUMOTOWE, MP;
- THE PERMANENT SECRETARY, MR. MIGHTY MUMBA;
- THE DEPUTY PERMANENT SECRETARY, MS. PRUDENCE MWANSA CHINAMA;
- HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR OF MANSA, MR. NJIKA MUSUKA;
- THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONER MANSA, MS. IREEN CHIVWETA;
- THE TOWN CLERK OF MANSA, MS. JOSEPHINE MWANZA;
- THE PROVINCIAL EDUCATION OFFICER;
- HEADS OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS PRESENT;
- MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY
- THE MEDIA HOUSES PRESENT;
- LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
IT IS WITH IMMENSE JOY AND GRATITUDE THAT WE GATHER HERE TODAY TO WITNESS THE COMMISSIONING OF THE MUSAILA SMALL PIPED WATER SCHEME AT MUSAILA COMBINED SCHOOL, WITH A TANK CAPACITY OF 20,000 LITRES.
THE MUSAILA SMALL PIPED WATER SCHEME IS PART OF THE PROJECT GOVERNMENT IS IMPLEMENTING IN LUAPULA PROVINCE, INVOLVING THE UPGRADING AND MECHANIZATION OF 22 BOREHOLES INTO PIPED WATER SCHEMES UNDER LOT 16. THIS PROJECT, SUPPORTED BY GOVERNMENT THROUGH MY MINISTRY, IS BEING CARRIED OUT AT A COST OF ZMW 9,886,322.16. THESE 22 WATER SCHEMES ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED IN SIX DISTRICTS AS FOLLOWS:
CHEMBE DISTRICTS – 4,
MILENGE DISTRICTS 4,
SAMFYA 4,
CHIFUNABULI 4,
LUNGA DISTRICT 4, AND
MANSA- 4, WITH ONE BEING COMMISSIONED HERE TODAY AT MUSAILA COMBINED SCHOOL.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
WATER AND SANITATION SERVICES REMAIN TOP PRIORITIES ON OUR GOVERNMENT’S DEVELOPMENT AGENDA. WATER PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF OUR BELOVED COUNTRY, CONTRIBUTING TO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND POVERTY REDUCTION. THIS ALIGNS PERFECTLY WITH OUR NATIONAL VISION 2030, WHICH PRIORITIZES UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO CLEAN AND SAFE WATER AND ADEQUATE SANITATION SERVICES. HIS EXCELLENCY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA, MR. HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, HAS CONSISTENTLY EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE OF IMPLEMENTING NATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR WATER AND SANITATION SERVICES IN BOTH URBAN AND RURAL AREAS.
THIS PIPED WATER SCHEME UNDERSCORES GOVERNMENT’S COMMITMENT TO GRADUALLY PROVIDE AT LEAST BASIC WATER, SANITATION, AND HYGIENE SERVICES IN ALL SCHOOLS, ADDRESSING INEQUALITIES AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF SERVICE PROVISION. THIS INITIATIVE OF UPGRADING THE BOREHOLES INTO A PIPED WATER SCHEME ALIGNS WITH THE GOVERNMENT DIRECTIVE OF PROVIDING PIPED WATER AND WATER-BORNE SANITATION FACILITIES TO ALL PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. THIS WATER SCHEME WILL ENABLE THE SCHOOL TO FURTHER UPGRADE ITS TOILETS INTO WATER-BORNE SANITATION FACILITIES AS THE SCHOOL NOW HAS RUNNING WATER.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
YOU MAY WISH TO NOTE THAT THE SCOPE OF WORK INCLUDED CONSTRUCTING A 2 KM WATER NETWORK TO MUSAILA COMBINED SCHOOL AND SURROUNDING VILLAGERS. THIS PROJECT HAS DIRECTLY IMPACTED THE LIVES OF OVER 2,000 PEOPLE, INCLUDING OVER 2,221 LEARNERS AND OVER 500 COMMUNITY MEMBERS. TWENTY (20) STAND TAPS HAVE BEEN STRATEGICALLY SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL AND SURROUNDING VILLAGES, SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVING ACCESS TO CLEAN AND SAFE WATER FOR THE END USERS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY FROM DRINKING WATER FROM SHALLOW WELLS, WE MUST RAISE AWARENESS AMONG COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SAFEGUARDING THIS PRICELESS INVESTMENT. ON THIS OCCASION, WE NEED THE LOCAL LEADERSHIP TO RALLY BEHIND US. IT IS OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT OUR WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM CONTINUES TO FUNCTION AT ITS BEST FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. ADDITIONALLY, WE RELY ON COMMERCIAL UTILITIES AND THE LOCAL AUTHORITY TO EXTEND THEIR ASSISTANCE IN TROUBLESHOOTING ANY ISSUES THAT MAY ARISE IN THE FUTURE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
I WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT GOVERNMENT, THROUGH THE NATIONAL RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION PROGRAMME, IS ROLLING OUT TO ALL DISTRICTS THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE (O&M) SYSTEM, INCLUDING SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT OF SPARE PARTS AND SYSTEMS FOR MAINTENANCE OF WATER POINTS FROM DISTRICT TO COMMUNITY LEVEL. THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO SUSTAIN THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF CONSTRUCTED AND REHABILITATED FACILITIES WITH THE FULL PARTICIPATION OF THE BENEFICIARY COMMUNITIES. TO ENSURE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THIS FACILITY, I URGE YOU TO ESTABLISH WATER SUPPLY AND HYGIENE (WASHE) COMMITTEES TO ENSURE MONTHLY USER FEE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE COLLECTED FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THIS CONSTRUCTED WATER SCHEME. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A COMMUNITY TO SUSTAIN THE WATER SCHEME.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
BESIDES THIS PROJECT, GOVERNMENT IS IMPLEMENTING OTHER PROJECTS IN MANSA, SUCH AS THE REHABILITATION OF 125 BOREHOLES UNDER LOT 18, OF WHICH 10 BOREHOLES HAVE BEEN REHABILITATED IN MANSA DISTRICT. MY MINISTRY THROUGH ITS PROVINCIAL OFFICE IN LUAPULA, HAS DISBURSED ZMW 44,268.00 FOR THE FORMATION AND TRAINING OF 10 V-WASHE COMMITTEES FOR THE 10 BOREHOLES THAT WERE DRILLED AND EQUIPPED LAST YEAR. ALL THESE EFFORTS ENSURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO CLEAN AND SAFE WATER, WHICH IS IN LINE WITH SDG NUMBER 6 AND VISION 2030.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
AS YOU ARE ALL AWARE, THE NATIONAL ASPIRATION IS TO ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO WATER AND SANITATION BY 2030. GOVERNMENT IS FULLY COMMITTED TO ENSURING, THAT EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY HAS ACCESS TO CLEAN AND SAFE WATER AS EVIDENCED HERE TODAY.
I NOW OFFICIALLY DECLARE THE MUSAILA PIPED WATER SCHEME COMMISSIONED.
I THANK YOU.
