Mapalo toasts footbridge

GOVERNMENT has allocated over K60, 000 to the construction of a foot bridge and culverts in Mapalo Township in Ndola.

Ndola Central Member of Parliament Emmanuel Mulenga said in an interview the money was sourced from the Ward Development Fund from Ndola City Council.

Mr Mulenga, who is Minister of Youth, Sport and Child Development, said the construction of the footbridge commonly known as Gigo Bridge would be done by the council as the contractor with help from residents of Mapalo.

He said the initiative to engage the locals in the construction would give them a sense of ownership that would help them take good care of the bridge.

Mr Mulenga said because of poor drainages in the area, the community faced

the challenge of floods

during the rainy season. The construction of the foot bridge would take a maximum of 40 days.

Mapalo Ward councillor Joseph Phiri thanked Government for the initiative saying that the area faced a number of challenges during the rains because of the poor state of the drainages in the area. Ms Margaret Sakala, a resident of Mapalo emphasised on the importance of the foot bridge in the area stating that water

flooded homes during the

rainy season.

Ms Sakala said because of the poor state of the drainages in the area, children failed to go to school for fear of falling into the drainage.

She thanked Government for prioritising the construction of a foot bridge in the area.