Camacupa - Under the motto at the Vanguard of socioeconomic development, the municipality of Camacupa, in the province of Bié, celebrates today, April 14th, its 55 Anniversary, since it was elevated to the category of city, in 1969.
This region, where the geodesic center of Angola is located, is growing with each passing day, despite various difficulties, mainly due to the poor condition of the road that connects the provincial capital (Cuito) to this location.
This obstacle has contributed to the delay in the municipality's development, as it does not attract investors, especially from the private sector.
However, the local population celebrates the date with hope for better days, especially after the authorization, by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, for the resumption, soon, of the rehabilitation works on the Cuito/Catabola/Camacupa/Cuemba road.
From Cuito to Camacupa alone, over a length of 71.80 kilometers, a value of 91 million 678 thousand 578 dollars and 16 cents was authorized for this project.
To inspect the works, the expenditure of one thousand 902 million 330 thousand 496 kwanzas and 74 cents was authorized.
The completion of the rehabilitation works of the Cunje 1 Hydroelectric Dam and the implementation of several programs, with emphasis on PIIM, will also give another characterization to this region, which has 206 thousand inhabitants.
The Cunje 1 Hydroelectric Dam is already operating on an experimental basis, benefiting, in the first phase, 1,500 consumers, out of the planned 7,000.
Regarding the Integrated Plan for Intervention in Municipalities (PIIM), Integrated Program for Local Development and Combating Poverty, PRODESI and others are making the population stop walking long distances to benefit from social services, such as school, health and others. essential for the well-being of a family.
It has enormous mineral and natural resources. It has diamonds, which have already been exploited illegally, as well as coarse ruby, gold, quartz, black and white tramarine, among other minerals to be explored.
PIIM almost completed
Of the eight projects and two actions registered with PIIM, only 100 kilometers of earthworks road, which connects the communes of Umpulo and Ringoma, remain to be delivered to the beneficiaries.
Furthermore, everything is completed and inaugurated, which are having a positive impact on the lives of residents, from improving education, health and communication routes, with emphasis on the asphalting of the first five kilometers that partially covered the city's road network. village.
Education satisfies
The municipality of Camacupa is one of the few in Bié that has four second cycle schools, therefore being a very large development indicator.
For example, the Polytechnic Middle Institute is the main supplier of staff that is ensuring the operation of the Cunje 1 Hydroelectric Dam.
Camacupa has taken significant steps compared to the last five years, where approximately there was a registration rate of 33,000 students enrolled, but today there are enrollment statistics that are around 57 thousand students studying.
In total there are 96 schools, which are run by 1,437 teachers who teach classes from initiation to grade 13, in the municipality administrative seat, Ringoma, Umpulo, Cuanza and São António da Muinha.
Even so, the sector controls around 14,000 children out of official educational system.
School lunch stops student escape
The distribution of school meals, within the framework of the Local Development and Poverty Combat Program (PDLCP), has greatly motivated children to remain in the classroom and absorb the content satisfactorily.
To date, the municipal administration assists 2,593 children from four schools, in the villages, and the Carrinho group assists 11,894 children from 21 schools, at municipal level.
There are close to 25 primary schools across the municipality linked to the school lunch distribution program, which covered a total of 25,000 children.
Health works on prevention
The sector in this municipality has placed emphasis on preventive health, to control diseases, by carrying out various actions, which include raising people's awareness of hygienic aspects in communities, strengthening basic sanitation, water treatment and fumigation.
The municipality has a health network of 14 units, including a hospital, five communal centers, a mother and child center and eight health posts, which offer a total of 268 beds for hospitalization.
According to the municipal administrator, Deolinda Gonçalves, these data still do not satisfy the demand, since the municipality is the third most populous in the province, with 206 thousand inhabitants, distributed across 806 villages.
There are a total of 188 health technicians, seven of whom are doctors.
As it borders the provinces of Moxico, Malange and Cuando Cubango, the number of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, particularly tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, is also growing in this region, although they are not alarming.
There are also some cases of neglected diseases, such as leprosy, where health authorities have already reported more than 10 cases and another six of onchocerciasis.
Agriculture remains the province's breadbasket
In this municipality there are two large farms, namely Arrozal, which produces large quantities of rice, and Agro-industrial das FAA, which produces large-scale corn and other products.
Furthermore, family farming is responsible for 90 percent of the food that reaches community tables.
Abundant in arable land and rivers, with emphasis on the Cuanza and Cuquema, which favor the practice of agriculture and encourage associated peasants to invest in the sector, this municipality produces tons of rural products, which are transported to the provinces of Luanda and Moxico , via the Benguela railways.
Holder of the title of the last edition of the Provincial Potato and Corn Fair, held in 2023, in the city of Cuito, the municipality of Camacupa, for the current agricultural campaign, prepared 200 hectares, with the forecast of a harvest of two tons per hectare, thus totaling 400 tons of different products in this first season alone.
In this location there are around 254 field schools, seven duly legalized cooperatives and individual producers, whose production is worth highlighting, even reaching production levels of up to 60 hectares, which are expected to harvest more than 50 tons of corn alone.
Rice, beans, soybeans and peanuts are also cultivated on a large scale.
This region also began with the relaunch of wheat cultivation, with the preparation, this year, of seven hectares.
The municipality of Camacupa is located 82 kilometers east of the city of Cuito, capital of the province of Bié. It has nine 9,469 square kilometers. It is made up of the municipality administrative seat, Ringoma, Muinha, Umpulo and Cuanza.
Until 1975, he was called General Machado. It is limited to the north by the municipalities of Nharea and Luquembo; to the east by the municipalities of Cuemba, Moxico and Luchazes; to the south by the municipality of Chitembo and to the west by the municipalities of Catabola and Cuito. PLB/DOJ
