The village of Ishem in Durres Municipality, one of the hardest-hit areas by the devastating earthquake last November, is getting ready to complete construction of the individual homes for the quake-affected families on the New Year’s Eve 2021. The affected residents will soon abandon the tents and move into new houses, construction of which they are supervising personally.
Prime Minister Edi Rama today visited one of the areas hosting the largest number of the new houses. “We are here in Ishem, where we can see these three damaged houses. These families have benefited under the Reconstruction Programme and they will soon move into their new two-bedroom houses. Another family further down this area is currently housed in a tent. They have benefited bonus rent. This is another two bedroom family home built under the Reconstruction Program. A family of four will live in this new house once its construction completes. The City Council has approved construction of 300 new houses in this administrative unit only. Work to construct 237 of them is already underway. Some five new houses are being built in this area alone,” Durres Mayor Emiriana Sako said.
Prime Minister Edi Rama had a conversation with a group of local residents, calling on them to exercise only a little bit more patience until they move into their newly-built houses. “What matters most is the fact that you will soon move into much bigger, stronger and more beautiful houses. It is important that everyone is safe and sound and you will move into your homes very soon. I reckon that everyone here will celebrate New Year’s Eve in new houses,” the Premier said.
Four much bigger and safer educational facilities, namely three schools and one kindergarten will be built under the Reconstruction Program in the area. “Four educational facilities, three schools and one kindergarten are being built in this administrative unit. Construction of two schools is set to complete next month,” Sako said.
The educational facilities in this area are being built through the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The Minister of State for Reconstruction Arben Ahmetaj urged local government authorities to approve the due construction permit as soon as possible. “As to the new schools due to be built by UNDP, Durres Municipality has yet to approve the construction permits. All relevant procedures have completed. Entire documentation has been prepared and the construction permits have yet to be issued by Durres local government authorities. The construction permits need to be issued as soon as possible to allow for the construction work to begin,” Ahmetaj said.
