For the next few days, I will physically be inspecting public projects to appreciate the state of implementation and progress made against planned completion. We have to match what is on paper and what is on the ground. We must also get to the discipline of implementing projects according to timelines.
There are over 300 public projects under implementation hence the need to have first hand information of what is obtaining on the ground so that in the next Budget we see what to prioritise in terms of planning and funding.
Therefore, this morning I travelled to Nkhotakota to check progress of the Msulira-Nkhotakota Road. This is the road that has missed its deadline by 16 months. All the challenges that have led to the delay will be ironed out so that the Contractor, Shire Construction, must proceed with the work. This will happen in the short period possible.
On my return, I briefly stopped at Nkhotakota boma where I spoke with beneficiaries of affordable fertilizer to see the challenges that are being encountered.
One of the challenges was that beneficiaries are travelling long distances to access the fertilizer. I have since assured them that most of the obstacles are being ironed out and soon beneficiaries will be able to access the fertilizer from Admarc depots across the country.
Later, I visited the JCM Solar Power plant in Salima which will be producing 60 Megawatts. I was impressed that by April 2021, the project will have completed, a crucial step of the Tonse Alliance administration’s efforts to deal with power blackouts once and for all.
Have a fruitful day.