Aford faults financing for Livingstonia-Njakwa Road
Opposition Alliance for Democracy (Aford) has faulted the piecemeal funding towards the construction of Livingstonia-Njakwa Road in Rumphi.
The party fears that construction of the road, which was first earmarked to be completed within three years from 2015, may not be completed as scheduled.
In the 2015/16 National Budget, government allocated K500 million for the road, and K700 million in the 2016/17 financial year whereas the 2017/18 budget has K4 billion for the project.
Speaking at a rally he addressed at Rumphi Boma on Saturday, Aford president Enoch Chihana, who is also Rumphi Central legislator and a member of the Transport and Public Infrastructure Committee of Parliament, wondered how such piece-meal funding towards the project would expedite construction works. He accused government of politicising the project.
“You people, who know arithmetic, please school me! If government continues to provide these little resources towards this road, how long will it take us to complete it?
“As a bona fide citizen of Rumphi, I demand more resources so that the works are completed, we can’t continue like this,” Chihana said.
Ministry of Transport and Public Works Jappie Mhango told The Nation that the period for construction has been revised to five years, which means it will be completed in 2020.
The funding system for the 80-kilometre road has also been changed; at first it was announced that it would be pre-financed by the contractor, Mota-Engil, to the tune of $80 million (about K60 billion), but it is now government which will solely bear the cost, according to Mhango. n
