PAC applauds NRWB on solar energy strategy

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has commended Northern Region Water Board (NRWB) for a solar energy system project which will see the board saving K16 million monthly.

PAC chairperson Shadrick Namalomba expressed the sentiments on Saturday when his committee toured some projects being implemented by NRWB in Mzuzu and Nkhata Bay.

“This is a wonderful project as it will reduce electricity bills almost by half, from K32 million to K16 million per month,” he said.

Namalomba also commended the board for a disposal treatment plant under construction at Nkhata Bay Hospital.

“As Public Accounts Committee [PAC], we see value for money in this. Our plea is that this should continue and we want to see the progress,” he said.

Before touring the sites, NRWB lobbied PAC for approval of funds by Parliament meant for new projects.

Namalomba assured the board that PAC will support the board.

NRWB chief executive officer Titus Mtegha described the project as the first of its kind in the country.                                                                     

“We are spending 2.6 million euros for the project and once it is completed, we will save money we pay Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi [Escom] to supply water in Mzuzu City and Ekwendeni,” he said.

Besides Mzuzu and Nkhata Bay, PAC also toured Karonga Water Supply System project.

Recently, Escom disconnected power supply to NRWB due to unsettled electricity bills, a development that led to lack of water in a number of townships in Mzuzu City.