Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Benedicto Chambo, has given Sawa Group Construction Company a one-month deadline to commence construction on the Dowa Dambo Irrigation Scheme in Dowa District.

Chambo expressed disappointment after inspecting the project’s progress during his visit to the Sawa Construction and FISID sites in Senior Chief Chakhaza’s area. He warned that failure to make significant progress within the given timeframe would result in contract termination.

However, he commended FISID Malawi Limited for its work, noting that the company has already completed nearly 90% of its assigned tasks.

In response, Wycliffe Reuben, Project In-Charge for Sawa Group, attributed the delays to late partial payments and the government’s failure to allocate funds for compensating farmers affected by the construction.

The project is financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) under the Programme for Rural Irrigation Development (PRIDE).