Cabo Delgado Governor Celmira da Silva has announced the construction of the resettlement village for families displaced by the gas project in Palma, Cabo Delgado province, will begin this year and that the process was at an advanced stage.

 

Speaking at Maputo International Fair, Celmira da Silva said that a company had been selected to build the houses but did not reveal the total number of people to be moved. But she promised there was currently, “a great deal of interaction with the families concerned, who are satisfied with the conditions of their resettlement”.

“We have been discussing all the details with the people, from the religious aspects to the type of housing and self-help projects, because we want to do what the communities themselves recommend,” she explained.

Celmira da Silva also said that the Cabo Delgado government was working to attract more investment in the agricultural sector as a way to ensure food supply for the thousands of people who will head to the region as a result of various extractive projects.

The Governor believes that the gas industry will create great momentum, not only in terms of exploitation itself, but also in sectors that support extraction, and that the province expects operations to create jobs, more income for families and greater tax revenue.

“Gas exploration will unleash dynamics that will support the economy of the province by activating other areas. But one cannot live by gas alone. People who work in gas will need food and other services, so we have to prepare ourselves to meet these needs,” she said.

In order to achieve these goals, the provincial government has been holding regular public consultations to make local communities aware of the changes that will result, she said, while at FACIM, Cabo Delgado was boosting contacts with investors interested in its tourism, agriculture, fishing and manufacturing potential. Source: Notícias