By: Golden Kang'oma

Salima, August 16, Mana: Minister of Local Government and National Unity, Richard Chimwendo Banda, has expressed satisfaction with the progress of key development projects in Salima, including the construction of Kapiri ADMARC and Linthipe Secondary School.

The projects, funded by the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) and the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) are part of a broader effort to improve infrastructure and empower local communities.

Speaking after touring some of the projects on Friday, Banda hailed the quality of work being carried out, stating that the contractors are doing an exemplary job.

He said: "The quality of work on the ground is solid. The contractors are not only meeting expectations but are also thinking about the needs of future generations. This is the kind of development President Lazarus Chakwera envisions for Malawi."

Chimwendo highlighted that these projects are creating employment opportunities for local residents, particularly the youth.

"When we talk about job creation, we do not only mean white-collar jobs. The construction projects you see here are providing employment for many young people, including young women. This is happening all over the country with other developments such as construction of roads, houses, and other infrastructures. These are tangible results of government's commitment to job creation," Banda said.

Banda also stressed that the projects should be completed on time as delays could jeopardize funding and ultimately hinder the development goals. He cited the Salima Community Ground, a project funded by the GESD, as an example where timely completion is critical.

"The GESD project requires that projects are completed within a specified period. Failure to do so could result in the cessation of funding. We have negotiated with the bank, and they have given us positive feedback. The project will continue and will be completed on time," he assured.

Salima District Council, Director of Public Works, Harris Kumwenda said the council will make sure that the projects are completed on time and are of good standards.

"The projects that we toured today are some of the projects which are underway. So far all the projects are progressing very well and I am very optimistic that most of the projects will be completed by November if there will be no setbacks," he said.

Member of Parliament for Salima South East constituency, Mike Ng'ombe Mawa said he is very excited with the construction of the secondary school as the area has had none since time in memorial and said that this will go a long way helping students attain good education within the area.

"This is one of the key projects that has embarked in this area and I am sure that the project will be completed within the fixed period so that it helps the community," he said.

The secondary school is being constructed to the tune of 494 Million Malawi Kwacha and the ADMARC at 44 Million Malawi Kwacha.