By Thula Chisamba

Rumphi, February 11, Mana: Rumphi District Council has called on locals in the district to monitor Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) projects to ensure that they are of high quality standards.

Speaking on Monday during the launch of a MK112 million Rumphi Boma Market project, the district's council chairperson, councillor Happy Chirambo noted that lack of project monitoring has made the district to have numerous projects of substandard quality.

"We need citizens to take ownership of these projects and monitor them closely to ensure that they are implemented according to plan," he said.

Rumphi Boma Market Chairperson, Kalumbambo Mbale welcomed the call with an assurance that the market committee will monitor the project at all levels.

He described the project as a panacea to security concerns that traders are having at the market.

"We commend the council for this project, which will address security concerns that traders are having at the market and we promise that we are going to monitor the project at all levels," he said.

On his part, chairperson of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the district, Jaih Kanyondo disclosed that CSOs in the district have been allocated around MK1.7 million under the GESD project for monitoring projects.

He said the money will augment their capacity to monitor all projects in the district to ensure they meet required standards.

The Rumphi boma market project will be done by Duduzire building contractors in a period of 120 days. It comprises of 10 kiosks to be set up at the main boma market and a market shed at Bumba-Msikawanjala market.

Meanwhile, the council has warned that it will terminate contracts of contractors that contravene their contractual obligations.