The Sunday News
Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
THE Government has drilled over 2 000 boreholes around the country this year alone, as the drive to increase portable water sources for communities around the country continues.
This was revealed by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement, Dr Anxious Masuka during a Question and Answer session in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Minister Masuka also said only 55 percent of the country’s 29 000 boreholes were operational, as rehabilitative work on some of them continued.
“As the Ministry responsible for water, we have put a bid for 20 drilling rigs and DDF has also put a bid for 10 drilling rigs. The procurement process is now nearing completion. This will augment available rigs between DDF and Zinwa to be able to drill more boreholes and also to focus on rehabilitation of boreholes. In terms of the broader scheme Mr. Speaker Sir, cumulatively, just over 2 000 boreholes have been drilled this year and perhaps another half of that rehabilitated. As a country, we have 29 000 boreholes and only 55 percent are operational,” he said.
Minister Masuka also said the Government was also looking to accelerate the drilling of boreholes in schools.
“In our five year period, we plan that every one of the 9 600 schools will have a borehole and resources permitting, we can accelerate that process. I know that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is currently seized with identification of the most vulnerable schools so that they can be prioritised in the drilling of boreholes. I have recently received a list of over 190 schools from the Hon. Minister so that we can prioritise that but resources permitting, we can accelerate the drilling process,” he said.
