Chapo inaugurates water supply system in Mandimba

Maputo, 22 May (AIM) – Mozambican President Daniel Chapo on Thursday inaugurated in Mandimba district, northern province of Niassa, a water supply system budgeted at 5.5 million US dollars disbursed by the Japanese government, through its International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The infrastructure is expected to benefit over 25,000 residents of Mandimba village. It includes the installation of 25 hand pumps for the most rural areas of the district.

According to Chapo, speaking during the inauguration, the system currently has over 700 household connections and supplies approximately 4,000 consumers, but it has the capacity to significantly expand coverage in the coming years.

“Water is life. Without water there is no life. That is why we are very happy to deliver this water supply system to the population of Mandimba. With water, it is already possible to produce vegetable gardens at home and reduce family expenses. We must taking advantage of the availability of water to reduce the impact of the rising cost of living”, he said.

According to Chapo, the project is the result of cooperation between Mozambique and Japan, which “means that international partnerships help us to strengthen the country’s social infrastructure. This system is the result of the friendship between the Mozambican people and the Japanese people.”

Chapo also called on local residents to preserve the infrastructure and respect the regular payment of consumption fees, as a way to guarantee the sustainability of the system.

For his part, Otsuka Kazuki, JICA resident representative in Mozambique, said that the project also benefits the districts of Majune, Muembe, and Mavago, with more than 60,000 people expected to be covered in this phase.

“Access to drinking water is essential for the health and development of communities. For clean water to reach our homes, it needs to be treated, we need to pay for energy to power the pumps, and we need to expand the network,” he said.

NL/Am/