US hands over Investment Master Plans
Published On September 19, 2014 » 1868 Views» By Davies M.M Chanda » HOME SLIDE SHOW, SHOWCASE
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By CHUSA SICHONE –
THE United States Government through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has handed over Investment Master Plans in water supply, sanitation and drainage for Lusaka City to the Zambian Government.
The Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company and the Lusaka City Council will implement the three Investment Master Plans to run from 2010 to 2035 at about US $4 billion. US Embassy Charge d’ Affaires David Young handed over the Master Plans to Local Government and Housing Deputy Minister Nicholas Banda in Lusaka on Thursday.
Mr Young said the US was proud to stand with Zambia as the two countries reinforced their strong partnership by handing over the Master Plans, which he said were a product of close collaboration and prodigious effort by various stakeholders.
He said the Master Plans were developed to assess water supply, sanitation and drainage needs in Lusaka up to 2035 as part of a constraints analysis to sustain Zambia’s economic growth.
Mr Young said Zambia continued to experience an urban growth rate of 2.3 per cent per year and thus the number of potential urban customers without reliable access to safe water and sanitation continued to grow.
“By investing more than US $350 million in transforming the water, sanitation and drainage sectors in Lusaka, MCC and the US Government have a strong interest in helping the Government of Zambia and the Zambian people to ensure that those investments are well implemented, maintained and productive,” he said.
In a speech read for him by Mr Banda, Local Government and Housing Minister Emmanuel Chenda said the Master Plans were comprehensive and would provide for a systematic and planned approach to infrastructure development for water supply, sanitation and drainage.
Mr Chenda said the Master Plans offered short-term, medium-term and long-term investment guidance in priority areas covering a 25-year period that would ultimately improve the lives of the people in Lusaka.
“I am reliably informed that in order to fully implement the three Investment Master Plans and derive the intended benefits, an estimated investment of US $4 billion will be required in water supply, sanitation and drainage infrastructure development in the city of Lusaka up to the year 2035.
“The American Government through the MCC has taken a practical step of providing US$355 million to facilitate implementation of priority emergency areas that are part of the Investment Master Plans,” he said.
Mr Chenda said the Government took the Investment Master Plans as Golden  Jubilee presents and would always treasure them by as such by ensuring adherence to their implementation.

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