Lawmaker Urges Government to Resume Stadium Construction Projects, Cites Importance of Sports Development
Legislator Noel Lipipa calls for the continuation of stadium construction projects to enhance sports in the country, highlighting delays in government funding.
LILONGWE, MALAWI — Lawmaker Noel Lipipa has urged the government to resume the construction of stadiums for FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and Mighty Mukulu Wonderers, stressing the significance of enhancing sports in the country, writes Esther Banda.
Speaking in parliament on August 7, 2023, Lipipa pressed Minister of Youth and Sports Uchinzi Mkandawire for an update on the halted stadium projects and emphasised the government's commitment to allocate K500 million to each team for construction.
"We were promised that the government, through the Ministry of Sports, would allocate K500 million to each team so that they could continue with the construction of the stadiums, but until today nothing has happened on the ground," Lipipa stated.
Expressing the need for prompt action, Lipipa appealed, "We need the construction project to continue as soon as possible, and we are eagerly waiting for those stadiums because we need to improve sports in this country."
Furthermore, Lipipa revealed that the initially allocated budget of K1 billion for the construction project had been reduced to K800 million, with the first priority being to settle outstanding bills owed to the contractors before resuming construction.
"They have allocated K800 million, which is K200 million less. First, to pay the bills that they owe the contractors before commencement," Lipipa explained.
Responding to Lipipa's concerns, Minister Mkandawire assured the August House that the government had indeed allocated K800 million to the stadium construction project.
Mkandawire emphasised that the project was still ongoing as the contractors remained on-site and pending payments needed to be processed before construction could resume.
"What I can assure Malawians is that those projects are still ongoing because we still have the contractors on site. They have made a request for payments, which we have not yet honoured, and once we pay them, the work will continue very soon," Mkandawire stated.
The continuation of the stadium construction projects holds significant importance for the development of sports infrastructure in Malawi, enabling the growth and advancement of various sporting disciplines.