Egypt’s PM inspects key projects of ‘Decent Life’ initiatives in Minya

CAIRO – 19 October 2024: During his tour of Minya Governorate on Saturday, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly inspected the Adwa Water Station, a key project under the first phase of the presidential initiative "Decent Life," aimed at developing the Egyptian countryside.

The Prime Minister highlighted the government's significant achievements in the "Decent Life" projects, particularly in the drinking water sector. He emphasized efforts to enhance water quality and expand the establishment of water stations and networks across various governorates, especially in underserved areas.

The Prime Minister’s visit focused on three main cities in Minya: Samalut, Maghagha, and Al-Adwa.

Sherif El-Sherbiny, Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities, elaborated on the ministry's plan to establish, replace, and upgrade drinking water networks and stations. This initiative aims to enhance the water system's quality and ensure compliance with technical specifications, particularly in Upper Egypt's villages and governorates. He noted that drinking water network projects in Minya Governorate have reached a 100% implementation rate across 183 villages as part of the "Decent Life" initiative.

Regarding the status of drinking water station projects in Minya, the Minister mentioned plans to implement 35 stations. To date, 27 purification stations have been completed, including 11 rehabilitation stations and 15 well stations, along with one new surface water station. Eight additional stations are currently under construction.

Eng. El-Sherbiny provided an overview of the water stations being developed, which include four surface water stations, two rehabilitation stations, and two iron and manganese treatment units. He stressed that progress on these projects is closely monitored to ensure timely completion.

Focusing on the Adwa Water Station, he noted that it is being developed under the supervision of the Minya Governorate Drinking Water and Sanitation Company. The station is designed to produce up to 200 liters per second, totaling 17,000 m³ per day, and occupies an area of five acres.

During his visit, Dr. Madbouly received a briefing from Eng. Ragab Saeed, Chairman of the Minya Governorate Water Company, who stated that the station is scheduled for experimental operation next December. The station will serve approximately 200,000 residents through two pipelines: a 500 mm line for the villages of Al-Atf, Qasr Lamloum, Zawiya Baramsha, and Al-Jihad, and a 300 mm line for the villages of Al-Basqalun and Baramsha, while also enhancing water pressure in the city of Adwa. The total cost of the station and its associated networks is estimated at about 380 million EGP.

During his tour, the Prime Minister made televised statements, noting that this is his second field visit to Upper Egypt in recent weeks, following his trip to Luxor. He highlighted that travel time to Minya has significantly improved, stating that the journey now takes about two to two and a half hours, compared to four to five hours five or six years ago.

Additionally, the Prime Minister visited Samalut Central Hospital, which he had previously inspected over three years ago before its opening. The hospital is now fully operational, providing advanced medical services, including cancer treatments and surgeries that were once unavailable in Minya, eliminating the need for citizens to travel outside the governorate for such care. He stressed that these developments are vital for human development, particularly in health and education.

He also mentioned that the Adwa Central Hospital, nearing completion, will begin trial operations next month, contributing to the healthcare system serving Minya’s approximately 6.5 million residents.

Minya will be one of the key governorates included in the second phase of the comprehensive health insurance system he continued, expressing his commitment to reviewing the existing infrastructure and listening to Ministry of Health officials, who confirmed the extensive developments achieved, including improvements in health care units and ambulance services accessible to remote rural areas.

Madbouly discussed the sewage treatment plant in Bartabat, west of Maghagha, which serves around 300,000 people across 17 villages. He noted that in 2014, sanitation coverage in Minya's rural areas was a mere 10%, but this has since doubled to 20% before the implementation of the "Decent Life" initiative. With the completion of the first phase of this initiative, the sanitation coverage rate is expected to rise to 60% by the end of March. He assured that with the completion of subsequent phases, Minya will achieve 100% sanitation network coverage, reflecting the substantial investments made by the state.

Madbouly confirmed that the Upper Egypt governorates have seen the development of approximately 60 sewage stations recently, transitioning to advanced dual or triple sewage systems, allowing for the safe use of treated water.