Member of Parliament for Karonga Central, who is also President of the National Development Party, Frank Tumpale Mwenifumbo, has hailed President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika for increasing the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) from K200 million to K5 billion per constituency.
Speaking at Mwenilondo on Sunday during the handover of CDF projects to contractors by Karonga District Council, he described the development as a major opportunity for communities to implement more development projects.
Mwenifumbo said when the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was campaigning, it promised to raise CDF to K5 billion, but many people, including himself, had doubts that the promise would become a reality.
Mwenifumbo said the K5 billion allocation is now a reality and asked Karonga District Commissioner Willard Mwambo to convey the people’s appreciation to President Mutharika.
He also warned contractors that those who deliver substandard work would be blacklisted, while urging Constituency Development Committees to closely monitor projects and ensure quality work.
Meanwhile, Mwambo urged contractors to deliver quality and durable projects that would benefit not only the current generation but also future generations.
He also called on communities to monitor the projects, avoid stealing construction materials and support contractors to ensure successful completion of the works.
Karonga District Council Director of Public Works, Thandiwe Chinula, said the council had planned the projects in two phases, with 17 projects already handed over.
She said 33 projects would be implemented in the second phase and urged both contractors and communities to work together to ensure quality delivery.
By George Mponda, MANA
