* Donated by Japan Firefighters Association and Japanese municipalities for the 20th time
* Japan has so far provided 27 specialised vehicles, including ambulances, waste collection trucks and fire engines, across the country
By Frank Humphreys, Malawi News Agency (MANA)
Japan has donated two fire engines to Lilongwe City Council to strengthen fire-fighting capacity and improve the protection of lives and property in the capital city.
At the presentation ceremony, Japan Ambassador to Malawi, Naito Yasushi, said the donation was part of Japan’s continued support to Malawi through the provision of specialised service vehicles.
They were donated by the Japan Firefighters Association and two Japanese municipalities for the 20th time and so Japan has so far provided 27 specialised vehicles, including ambulances, waste collection trucks and fire engines, across the country.
Ambassador Naito Yasushi described the fire engines as compact but highly operational vehicles capable of accessing narrow roads and effectively responding to fires with a small crew.
Receiving the donation, Minister of Local Government & Rural Development, Ben Phiri, said the assistance would provide hope to residents, businesses and property owners, considering Lilongwe’s status as the country’s Capital, which hosts government institutions, diplomatic missions and a growing business community.
“Fire engines are a tool for people’s safety, safety of properties and safety of businesses,” he said. “If we do not have fire engines, we are at risk of having our citizens suffer and not be safe.
“This donation brings hope to citizens, property owners and different businesses,” said the Minister, while Lilongwe City Council Chief Executive Officer, Clement Stambuli, added that the new fire engines would strengthen the council’s response capacity.
But he noted that their water tanks, which hold approximately 1,300 litres, were relatively small for tackling major fires, particularly those occurring far from water sources.
This development comes just a week after Lilongwe City Council presented a Development Concept Paper to Japan Ambassador — that seeks support for new areas of partnership for sustainable urban development in the Capital.
The proposed support is towards decongestion of the Western and Eastern Bypass, Digital Citizen Engagement, Cyber Security & Digital Resilience, and Software Development for Electronic Payment Collection at Nsungwi Market.
Japan has previously supported Biwi Clinic, provided an ambulance, supported capacity development in waste management, the development of the Urban Master Plan and the Lilongwe Bridge Expansion.
Meanwhile, Minister Ben Phiri urged city councils to introduce maintenance policies to safeguard public assets and improve service delivery, warning that failure to maintain infrastructure and equipment is costing government valuable resources.
Phiri said the absence of systematic maintenance policies has contributed to the deterioration of government infrastructure and vehicles, with institutions often waiting until equipment breaks down before seeking resources for repairs.
“What we are saying is, let’s have a maintenance policy,” he said. “That policy will be accompanied by resources and we will service our buildings, maintain our buildings and vehicles, not because they are broken down but because it is time to maintain them.”
He added that preventive maintenance would prolong the lifespan of public assets, reduce unnecessary expenditure and ensure that citizens receive reliable services, adding that all councils had been directed to develop maintenance policies.
He further questioned why some government vehicles were only restored to working condition after being sold at auctions, arguing that poor maintenance practices and failure to diagnose mechanical problems early contributed to the wastage of public resources.
“Sometimes you hear in government that there is an auction. Vehicles are sold and a vehicle that has been idle for 10 years, immediately after the auction, you see it running properly. Why? it’s ack of maintenance,” he said.
The Minister also called on residents to pay city rates to enable councils to acquire and maintain essential equipment, saying government should not continue depending on donations for basic public services.
“Our syndrome of waiting for donations must stop at some point. This is necessary equipment that we must have. Whilst we are welcoming donations, let us pay our city rates,” he said.—Editing by Duncan Mlanjira; Maravi Express
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