Zanzibar has signed a 145 million US dollar contract with Oman's National Energy Centre to carry out the second phase of a water infrastructure project in North Unguja. The three-year scheme will involve drilling 59 boreholes, constructing storage tanks and extending distribution pipelines to improve water access in targeted villages and administrative areas.
The Acting Minister for Water, Energy and Minerals stressed the importance of close supervision during implementation, emphasizing quality materials and timely completion. The Permanent Secretary said the government aims to finish the work within two to two-and-a-half years rather than the original three-year timeframe. The project will include modern monitoring technology to help identify faults in boreholes, electrical systems and pipelines.
The investment is intended to expand water production and distribution capacity, allowing more communities in North Unguja to access improved water services. The representative of the contractor welcomed the partnership opportunity, noting it built on work completed during the first phase of the project and called for stakeholder cooperation to meet required standards.