NKHOTAKOTA-(MANA)-President Lazarus Chakwera has told people along the M5 road to be patient with the slow construction process, saying his government is on the verge of building a long-lasting road for them.
President Chakwera was speaking in Dwangwa on Thursday where he started his day-long whistle-stop tour of Nkhotakota district.
The Malawi leader said he is aware that the last time he visited Dwangwa, the road was bad, and water had washed away many valuables, leaving people destitute.
“The short stretch of the road that has been fixed should be a sign of good things coming, as good things take time. My government does not want to build something that will not last long,” stressed President Chakwera.
He further singled out issues of hunger in the district saying he has already instructed the relevant ministries to work hand in hand to help people through governments resilience programmes like the lean season maize distribution, Affordable Input Programme as well as the social cash transfer programmes to support those in need.
President Chakwera is touring the Lakeshore districts of Nkhotakota and Salima.
Meanwhile the President has called for harmonisation of Government resilience programmes like social cash transfer and AIP to make sure a vast majority of Malawians benefit from these programs.
Chakwera said this at Nkhotakota Boma where he conducted his second stop of his whistle-stop tour of Nkhotakota district.
“I have spoken to relevant officials from the Ministry of Finance, local government and gender to work together towards the harmonisation of these programs.”
He said his government has also instructed National Economic Empowerment (N.E.E.F) to give loans to small vendors without collateral so that many Malawians can benefit from these loans and boost their small businesses.
Member of parliament for Nkhotakota central constituency Peter Mazizi asked the government to consider building a jetty at Nkhotakota as people in the district also trade in Likoma Island and their main source of transportation is water and the lack of a jetty makes this very difficult.