Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Richard Chimwendo Banda has issued a stern warming to OPCOD Limited, a construction company that is behind the rehabilitation works of the famous Blantyre Cultural Centre (BCC) , saying the delays have irked government and that it can longer accommodate fringe excuses anymore.
He also said young talented Malawians are denied their rights to economic development because of the unnecessary delays by the construction company to finish the project.
Chimwendo was speaking in Blantyre yesterday after he made a surprise visit on the site after people expressed outrage over the ‘deliberate’ slowness by the company to finish the project.
“There is a crisis on the ground and Malawians are demanding work but are getting it. It is against this worrisome backdrop that government is making a stern warming to the company to fish the project or pack up and go.
“We cannot be dancing to their tunes anymore. We are a serious government and we mean business. The entire project started last year and it was expected to finish in January this year but here we are with no progress at all,” the disappointed and angry Minister told reporters.
Government has pumped in close to K160 million to rehabilitate the Cultural Centre. It is expected that once the rehabilitation works are completed the Blantyre Cultural Centre will be able to provide Government with an extra alternative revenue generation avenue.
Once the facility is operational, artists in the country will have a cheaper venue for their activities. The facility has an auditorium designed to serve many purposes including providing space for workshops and clinics.
The BCC venue has had a very positive impact on people’s enjoyment of diverse expressions by hosting cultural festivals.
The BCC has housed popular names such as late Du Chisiza Jr with “Sir Daniels” with his 1998 production.
