Matewere told Zodiak Online after leading a team from the district council in monitoring seven projects under the health, education, and agriculture sectors being constructed with resources from World Bank-funded Governance to Enable Service Delivery - GESD.

“We gave contractors 90 days thus from beginning January this year to March this month to complete the projects. Some are nearing completion while others are behind schedule,” he said.

However, the Ntcheu DC says contractors that will not meet the deadline have to write the council requesting an extension on the same.

“A number of challenges have halted completion of some projects in time. For instance, at Dzunje Health center, the contractor was advised to restart the construction for alleged substandard works,” he added.

DGO Investments Project Manager, Kondwani Nyirongo a company constructing the Nanyangu school block was upbeat works will be completed in time.

Meanwhile, Chairperson for Ntcheu Civil Society Network, Lemani Ngaiyaye has advised the council to always be on the lookout for development projects to ensure contractors provide quality works that are sustainable.

“Supervision of projects remain key in ensuring contractors are providing quality and sustainable works thereby addressing issues of substandard works in the long run,” he said.

Ntcheu District Council received K209 Million under GESD for the year 2021/21 to implement various initiatives.

Projects benefiting include, Dzunje Health Centre Maternity Wing, Manjawira Health Centre Staff House beside M’phika, and Nanyangu Primary’s School Blocks among others.

The project is facilitated by the Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Finance, and National Local Government Finance Committee(NLGFC) as key lead partners.