Governor of Bengo asks João Lourenço to increase the budget allocation for the province

“We think that the budget cut we received is very sharp,” said Maria Nelumba, who requested a review of the budget for the 2024 financial year.

“We went from 19 percent, in 2023, to 17 percent, in 2024. In terms of goods and services, we had a reduction from 33 percent to 16 percent. Therefore, if we want Bengo to develop, we need to have some greater benefit so that we can develop all projects”, she lamented. The minister also said there was a need for more support to attract investors and increase the tax base.

Maria Nelumba explained that, in the Social area, development will allow the continuation of ongoing programs and projects, as well as the programming of actions to improve education, professional teaching, health, culture, sports, tourism, youth, and also programs assistance to entrepreneurship, support for former combatants, the family and the promotion of women.

In the field of electrical energy, the President of the Republic was informed that only the municipalities of Dande and Ambriz benefit from energy from the Mabubas hydroelectric plant. On the occasion, the implementation of the province's electrification program was requested, with emphasis on the electrification of rural areas, using photovoltaic energy.

Regarding water supply, the urgent need to build a new collection station in Mabubas and also the requalification of another in Porto Kipiri was defended, to improve water supply, especially in Dande.

The asphalting of the roads that connect the municipal headquarters is also part of the Bengo government's needs list. The municipality of Nambuangongo, according to the governor, is the only one that is not connected to the government headquarters via a paved road.

The province is still struggling with difficulties in internal municipal traffic. In this chapter, an additional 30 buses were requested to respond to current demand, especially in the municipality of Dande, where there are around 315 thousand inhabitants.

In terms of telecommunications, the improvement of radio and television signals, with the installation of a repeater antenna in the Mabubas commune, as well as Internet services, are other reasons for the governor's concern.

“The lack of these services in some municipalities and the lack of electricity cut off the possibility of establishing commercial banking, which practically only exists in the municipalities of Dande and Ambriz”, said the official.

In relation to agriculture, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry was asked to include the municipalities of Bula Atumba, Dembos, Pango Aluquém and Nambuangongo in a program that is being financed by the European Union. “We know that coffee is a commodity that currently has a good price on the international market and this would help a lot to generate revenue for the province”, she highlighted.

At the end of the meeting, the President of the Republic, accompanied by the First Lady and members of the Executive, visited an exhibition on the agricultural potential of the province of Bengo.