Mutharika says drilling oil in Lake Malawi to go ahead:  ‘Lake is wholly Malawian, pride of the nation’

President Peter Mutharika has said that Malawi will go ahead with the plan to drill poil and gas in the Lake Malawi, saying there is nothing to worry on   aquaculture as well as human life.

President Peter Mutharika greets veteran politician Brown Mpinganjira who attended the function
President Mutharika being briefed about the water treatment
President Mutharika, First Lady and Vice President Saulos Chilima at commissioned a multi – million Mangochi water treatment plant

Mutharika, speaking on Wednesday in the Eastern Region lakeshore district of Mangochi  during this year’s World Water Day commemorations,  appealed to people  in the country to take care of Lake Malawi, which he said is the country’s national treasure.

The President said the lake is wholly owned by Malawi and should therefore be protected and preserved by all well-meaning Malawians, saying water is an essential commodity that drives the economy of the country.

He then maintained that oil drilling will continue in the Lake Malawi despite calls from environmentalist to Malawi government to abandon the oil and gas project.

“Those who worry about our plans to explore and drill oil have no reason to fear. If we decide to drill oil in the lake, we will ensure to use on-shore clean technology.

“We value our Lake and we will ensure we implement measures to protect it, at all cost,” the President assured at a Nkopola Lakeshore Conference Centre in Mangochi.

Mutharika called on the nation to reduce water wastage and preserve water in catchment areas to make water available for agriculture production and industrial use in dry seasons.

“Don’t waste water, water is life. The World is going through the worst climate change, water resources are dwindling day by day therefore, we must find ways of preserving the water so that we have maximum supply throughout the year,” said Mutharika in line with this years’ theme: ‘Wastewater Reuse for Sustainable Development’

Earlier in the day, Mutharika commissioned the Mangochi Water Treatment plant which has been financed by Opec Fund for International Development.

Mutharika said the Mangochi water treatment works would supply water to about 60, 000 people in the next 10 to 15 years thereby fulfilling sustainable development goal number six.

“That resolve will ensure that we provide potable water to all people living in Malawi by 2030 including the people of Mangochi and surrounding areas. That is why my government has specifically established the Mangochi water treatment plant,” Mutharika pointed out.

He said government will continue implementing policies that make water available, preserved, safe and utilizable for agricultural production and for domestic and industrial use.

President Mutharika added that government was in the process of enacting legislation that provides for an independent regulator for water supply and sanitation.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Aggrey Massi said currently Mangochi water treatment plant is producing at least 5, 700 cubic metres of water per day serving 50, 000 people.

He said considering the quantity of waste water generation and its overall pollution load which was increasing globally, there was need for people in the country to consider other ways of recycling and reusing waste water.

Chairperson of the Water Services Association of Malawi-WASAMA Engineer Alfonso Chikuni said the plant will ease pressure on the existing plants as the Southern Region Water board will be able to treat water locally.

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Reader
Reader
7 years ago

I think this whole issue should be put on hold until malawi gets leaders that are willing to lead and spend every single penny the country has on improving the lives of its people we all saw what happened with kayelekela im sure now there is less urenium there than there was before but what can the people of malawi show for its list resource nothing other than craters left behind. Look if we find oil and there is proper leadership then sure lets drill and build our country but with the leaders we have its better if the oil… Read more »

JCInLA
JCInLA
7 years ago

I will pay for the assassination of Mutharika the first day the oil starts bleeding from the lake. I may also fight with the Tanzanians.

Gertrude
Gertrude
7 years ago

Dzuka Malawi Dzuka 2019 VOTE WISELY!!!!!

Ndata
Ndata
7 years ago

That is going to be the down fall of Peter A. Mutharika, We can not allow this to happen, we will fight tooth and nail. If he wants to see Malawi burning he can go a head paja ndi nkhutukumve

Given W Kazembe
Given W Kazembe
7 years ago

The plan to drill oil in lake Malawi should go ahead. The lake is wholly Malawian.No any country has a legal claim to it apart from my beloved mother land Malawi.
The soils under the lake could never be shared much as we share the water to good neighbours.
The oil is our wealth. period.
Given Kazembe ( Blue Youth Malawi)

Savimbi steven
Savimbi steven
7 years ago

I totally AGREE with Winston Msowoya above comments.No Oil exploration or Gas on Lake Malawi.These Exploration oil projects will only Benefit Politicians who are ruling right now while the Poor Malawians remain and die in Poverty.For the good of the country,lets continue living the way we are rather than destroying the lake Malawi natural resources and enreaching the Greedy Politician of today.If whites were part of Malawian citizens the way South Africa is;the better bcoz they could use the proceeds nicely to develop the country like South Africa,but Munthu wakuda ngati ine, Mayo !!!! mayo!!! mayo !!!! ine.He cannot be… Read more »

zebron henry banda
zebron henry banda
7 years ago

this issue is of national interest ,thus it should be put to a referendum.if the masses say they either want it or not,they will,either way,have themselves to blame.as to which country owns the lake,the answer remains:”lake malawi”belongs to the republic of malawi.unlike lake nyassa-which i actually don’t know-that might as well be tanzanian.unfortunately,i am not that blind to see it on any map!we need those $(dollars) rolling in into malawi to completely remove this name:”the poorest country”.it sucks!!

winston msowoya
winston msowoya
7 years ago

Personally,Iam convinced that Peter Muthalika is not vehement enough to deal with the country’s odious economic and political inclination.He knows pretty well that his plans on oil rigging from Lake Nyasa,won’t benefit the overwhelming majority of our suffering people and knows pretty well that as soon as the RIGS are dropped into the Lake Nyasa,that spellsout our normal human life including marine life.I remember very well 5 years ago when the rig in the gulf of Mexico broke-down,and the oil spill was spread morethan 60 KM radious that took 5 months to clear the oil from the water despite using… Read more »

ellias
ellias
7 years ago

Koma abale zimenezi sizitionongera our tasty chambo?

foreigner
foreigner
7 years ago

DR Chilima looks miles away is it all about consultancy or Chimutu ?

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