Bande commits to help improve water, sanitation

Newly appointed Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation John Bande says he is keen to help the country achieve goal number six of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to ensure availability of water and improved sanitation.

In an interview yesterday, Bande, who is also Blantyre City East legislator, said while Malawi has made strides in water accessibility, it was sad to note that about 98 percent of the country’s population lives in areas without sewer systems.

“As a ministry, we will strive to do better and bring back the lost glory when every household had pit latrines,” he said.

Bande, who won the parliamentary seat on an independent ticket in the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections but joined Malawi Congress Party (MCP), pledged to work with the line minister Abida Mia to address challenges presented in the 2021 National Statistical Office survey on Multiple Indicator Cluster which found that 60 percent of the country’s water sources are contaminated.

Sustainable Development Goals targets 6.1 and 6.2 aims for universal and equitable access to safe drinking water and sanitation by 2030.

Bande served in other ministries in previous administrations.