One of the country’s renowned Governance and Human Rights Advocate, Undule Mwakasungula says he is dismayed by the news that the Forum for National Development (FND) through their Lawyer is restraining commercial banks -NBS Bank and National Bank of Malawi and Khato Civils (Private) Limited from transacting financially on the water supply project.
Mwakasungula said it is worrisome and a setback on this long-awaited water supply project.
“Putting partisan interests aside, the Lake Malawi Water Supply Project is very important and viable. The project will tap water from Lake Malawi to the city of Lilongwe, surrounding areas and town centres along the M14 Lilongwe – Salima Road. The Project will also increase water availability for Lilongwe City and strengthen the capacity of Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) and surrounding towns to respond to adverse climatic conditions, hence sustaining reliable water supply to its customers.
“Water being life it is paramount to remember that our way of life depends on clean water. Our economy depends on clean water, manufacturing, farming, tourism, recreation, energy production, and other economic sectors need clean water to function and flourish hence the importance of the Lake Malawi Water Supply Project,” said Mwakasungula in a statement.
The statement further says that Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) ensures the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, and this confirms the importance of water and sanitation in the national and global political agenda. SDG 6 also recognizes that social development and economic prosperity depend on the sustainable management and sharing of freshwater resources and ecosystems.
The governance expert then appealed to the FND leadership to withdraw the injunction to allow the facilitation of the project without further hindrance, saying the project has been surrounded by so many controversies since its inception but politics aside it is a much-needed project for the benefit of Malawians.
“Lastly, much as we have constitutional democratic rights to exercise, it is also time we promoted national issues above and beyond our political interests for the sake of national development. ” – MBC Online Services.
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