By Priscilla Phiri

Lilongwe, August 15, Mana: Malawians residing in Dowa and Ntchisi have expressed optimism on the ongoing road rehabilitation project in the two districts saying it will provide people of the two districts with access to social amenities such as health, among others.

The sentiments were made during a media tour organised by Ministry of Information and Digitalisation to assess progress of the project which is being financially supported by Malawi Government.

Mary Ganizani, a resident of Traditional Authority (TA) Vusiojere in Ntchisi said the local population faces challenges in accessing healthcare services and engaging in various socio-economic activities due to the deteriorated state of the road connecting Dzaleka in Dowa and Ntchisi.

“Those of us living along Dzaleka – Ntchisi Road face difficult situations due to the poor road condition which has made it challenging for us to access free healthcare services in the district.

“Additionally, it has also made conducting business nearly impossible as transportation costs are very high. Therefore, we are pleased to see that government has made an effort to address this issue,” explains Ganizani.

Ganizani is hopeful that the restoration of the Dzaleka – Ntchisi Road will play a significant role in boosting the economic growth of the two districts by facilitating business activities.

Ntchisi District Council Director of Public Works, Dominic Dzinkambani said the Dzaleka – Ntchisi Road rehabilitation project is a two-year project which started in January 2023 and is expected to be completed in 2024.

“So far, the work being done here has shown positive results. We have, from the very beginning, closely collaborated with the contractors and consultants to ensure that compensations are promptly provided before initiating the work. We are pleased with the progress being made,” said Dzinkambani.

Chairperson for Dowa District Council, Mayamiko Kambewa expressed enthusiasm for the commencement of the project saying it is a welcome development that will lead to growth of numerous agricultural businesses in the district.

"We are delighted to witness the commencement of the project. As you may be aware, government is currently undertaking restoration of the M1 road from Dowa to Kasungu, along with the Dzaleka to Ntchisi route.

“These improvements are crucial for facilitating transportation of farmers' agricultural goods within and among the districts. We remain optimistic that the work will be finished within the scheduled timeframe without any setbacks considering the current progress of the project," he said.

The Dzaleka – Ntchisi Road stretches on a six kilometre distance. The stretch further continues from Ntchisi to Kasungu via Malomo.

Government of Malawi has provided funding amounting to K31 billion for the project which is projected to be finished by December 2024.