The Ntcheu District Councils has expressed ignorance on the actual dates for the completion of Ntcheu Stadium, after government claims that the project is 95 percent to being finalized.
Chairperson of the committee overseeing the construction of the stadium, Councilor Jumbe Mambo, has told The Atlas Malawi, that currently there is no contractor on the site.
Speaking in Parliament last week Thursday, Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Richard Chimwendo Banda announced that five percent of the construction project only remains now.
However, Mambo says there is still more work to be done.
“I don’t know the criteria they used to come up with that percentage but still a lot of work remaining” said Mambo.
He added: “The pitch has to be flattened then install drainage pipes around the perimeter, then lay the turf. Apart from that, there is need to connect water and electricity”
“Other areas to be focus on, is the construction of road to the Stadium and the car parks outside the stadium, so I think there’s a lot of work remaining” said Mambo
According to Mambo, the council engaged Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture last year to discuss the progress of the project where they were assured that it will be completed September this year, but nothing has happened.
He further expressed his disappointment with the current leadership’s lack of interest to complete the project as the last Minister of Local Government to have a tour on the site, was Ben Phiri during DPP era back in 2020.
Meanwhile, Mambo said there has been pressure from communities to the council on why the project takes too long to be completed.
“Pressure has been there. On several occasions the communities have been demanding to be granted demonstration but we have been trying to talk to them, convince them and giving them hope but Government is betraying us”
The 20,000 sitting capacity stadium project under construction at Kandota Village, Traditional Authority Kwataine in the district, started in August 2017.
