Mansa Mayor, His Worship Njikho Musuku,has expressed gratitude to the Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA) for partnering with Luapula Water Supply and Sanitation Company to improve access to clean water for residents. He noted that prior to the partnership, residents, especially those in peri-urban and rural areas, struggled to access clean and safe drinking water.
The Mayor explained that residents in the rural parts of the district had to walk long distances or rely on shallow wells which were prone to contamination during the rainy season, leading to waterborne diseases.
He further revealed that residents in Peri urban areas depended on alternative sources like water bowsers that were provided by the Local Authority in selected points and Water Kiosks which he said were not only costly but time consuming and affected productivity and school attendance.
The Mayor, however, noted that with GWOPA’s intervention, productivity and school attendance have improved as residents no longer have to abandon their businesses or learners abscond school to access water.
He also noted that Traders at Maiteneke market now have access to water within the market at an affordable rate unlike was the case in the past when they were financially exploited when accessing the commodity.
The Mayor has since urged residents in the district to add value to the water services by paying their bills and safeguarding water equipment against vandalism. He also appealed to GWOPA to open more water points in Mansa district in a bid to enhance productivity and invest in capacity-building workshops for Luapula Water Supply and Sanitation Company staff to adapt to industry changes and new water technology.
The Mayor said this during an interview in his office this morning with GWOPA senior Advocacy and Communications Consultant Lothar Mikulla.
GWOPA, launched in 2022, was initially set to run until April 2024 but has been extended until 2030 to enable capacity building and support sustainable water services.
MANSA MAYOR THANKS GWOPA FOR IMPROVING ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER IN MANSA
