Water shortage, which has been facing the people of Nanyumbu District, Mtwara Region is expected to be lessened after the World Bank started implementing a project to dig wells in ten villages.

Nanyumbu district commissioner Fatuma Ally said this when she visited three villages in the district on an inspection tour to assess the water situation in the area.

Speaking to Ndwika, Namasogo and Ngupe villagers, Fatuma said the World Bank, in collaboration with the government, was keen to see that water scarcity in the district was addressed soon.

“Nanyumbu is one of the districts which face water scarcity in the region, whereby only 26 per cent of the residents have access to clean water. After completion of this project, the percentage of people who will get clean water will rise to 37.4 per cent,” she said.

She asked Nanyumbu residents to ensure that they maintained the projects which were being established in their areas by contributing some money for their maintenance.

Earlier, an officer from the water department in the district, Emanuel Chuma, told the DC that the World Bank had donated 591.5m/- for the digging of wells in the ten villages.

The project has already started been implemented in all ten villages, which are Ulanga, Ndechela, Nandembo, Chivirikiti, Lukula, Holela, Ndwika, Mara, Sengenya and Chipuputa”, said Chuma.

A resident of Ndwika village, Hadija Juma, said completion of the project would help to reduce the water problem, especially for women who spend much of their time looking for water.