Copperbelt minister, Matambo, charges water utilities to create better awareness on supply challenges

Copperbelt Minister, Elisha Matambo, has urged water utility companies in the province to strengthen their engagement with communities and provide consistent updates on measures being taken to improve water supply.

He made the call during a meeting with representatives from the three water companies—Kafubu, Nkana and Mulonga Water and Sanitation—in Ndola after he summoned their directors for an urgent meeting at the provincial administration on Monday.

During the meeting, where he emphasized the need for improved communication with water users, Matambo said that government prioritized water supply to citizens and placed it among its top agenda items.

“Let me stress that, when we were sworn in as ministers, our head of state guided us to follow three principles: right cost, quality work, and delivering the project on time,” Matambo told the gathering.

The three water utilities assured the minister that water supply across all ten districts in the province would improve once ongoing projects were completed completed later this year. Matambo urged them to expedite the remaining works and ensure timely completion.

He acknowledged that the companies were undertaking significant work on the ground but said communication to the public had been inadequate.

“Let me implore all Public Relations Departments of these water utility companies to heighten communication to the people on what is happening so that our people are kept updated all the time,” he said.

Matambo further appealed to the public to desist from vandalizing sewer and water infrastructure.

“Our people should not hesitate but apply citizen’s arrest to any person found vandalizing installations for our water utility companies,” Matambo said, as he also reminded all government departments in the province to settle their water bills to enable utilities to continue delivering services.

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