APM focused on  infrastructure development: Commissions upgraded Masauko Chipembere highway

President Arthur Peter Mutharika says good road infrastructure in the country is a catalyst to efficient service delivery and vibrant economic activity which culminates into transformation of livelihoods.

He was speaking in Blantyre on Saturday when he officially opened the upgraded Masauko Chipembere Highway.

“We also need good road infrastructure to ease access to public services such as hospitals, schools and markets among others. Good roads facilitate trade and result in economic boom.

“Malawi is an agro-economy and for our farmers to move their produce to the markets, they need good roads. This is why my Government has put road infrastructure as one of our priorities,” said President Mutharika.

He added,”Economically, this is one of the most important roads of Blantyre. This road is the spine of the City. And this is the road that connects us to every surrounding district. Blantyre, the President said, will undergo a huge facelift in as far as road infrastructure is concerned.”

According to him, several roads are being upgraded to asphalt surfacing from this year. These are township roads of Angelo Goveya, Manje, Mbengwe, Chilomoni, Chinseu,, Chimwankhunda, Ma Land Rover Chirimba, Railways among others.

He also disclosed that there will be bypasses round the City of Blantyre to decongest traffic.

Some of these roads are from Chigumula Trading Centre to Mapanga, via Bangwe and Mzedi,from Chigumula to Mpemba Trading Centre via Soche Quarry, from Mpemba to Chilomoni via Pensulo and Chigwaja Townships and from Chileka Airport to Ngumbe via Army Secondary School, to M1 Road.

The Malawi leader called upon Blantyre residents to take good care of the road infrastructure which will soon include street lights in many of the city’s townships.

Japanese Ambassador to Malawi Mr. Shuichiro Nishioka said in an interview at the function that his government finds Malawi a dedicated and development- conscious partner who understands the need for world class infrastructure to support development.

The project is being funded by the Japanese Government to the tune of MK12 billion which they provided through Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Contractors on the job are World Kaihatsu
Kogyo Company Limited, Nippo Corporation and Shimizu Corporation.