People at Mapala area in Nkhotakota district are facing challenges to cross Jumbo River after a bridge was washed away by floods and they have asked their Member of Parliament (MP) to intervene by constructing another bridge.
According to one of the residents of the area, Smith Onaika, people are forced to cross the flooded river using risky ways hence endangering their lives.
Smith told Malawi24 that some people have constructed a bridge over the river though they are charging a user fee.
“People are failing to cross using this bridge because they have no money. They are forced to use risky routes to cross the river,” Smith said.
Speaking to Malawi24, Chief Nkhanga of the area said that the issue has already been reported to MP for the area Griselder Jeffrey and she has promised to intervene.
“Our Member of Parliament is aware of our problem and has promised to take action to help us,” Chief Nkhanga said.
In a telephone interview with Malawi24, Jeffrey said the problem is really threatening lives of people in the area and government is taking proper steps to construct the bridge.
“I understand that this has been a challenge for people around this area and I have already discussed the issue with responsible minister,” Jeffrey told Malawi24.
She disclosed that recently government sent three engineers to construct a bridge at the area with the aim of ending the problem.
Jeffrey later blamed past legislators of the area for not taking into consideration the challenge since it is not new.
She said that some of the MPs served for several years and they were aware of the problem but they were not doing anything.
may b u must blame the Archtecture. Or the Builder, or Concrete mixer. 1 bag of cement = 50 wheel barows of sand and 60 wheel barows of stones. Do u thing the bridge can b strong?
The question iz why ar they riskng their lives by crosing flooded river?No bridge at that particular places and its not only that river.No development