Govt sets aside over 18bn/- for connection of electricity services
ippmedia.com/en/news/govt-sets-aside-over-18bn-connection-electricity-services
July 3, 2021
03
Jul 2021
The Guardian Reporter
Dar es Salaam
News
The Guardian
Govt sets aside over 18bn/- for connection of electricity services
THE government has aside over 18bn/- for connection of electricity services to 42 villages within Kondoa District, Dodoma Region.
The villages are those which were left behind during implementation of phase two of rural electrification programme under the Rural the Rural Energy Agency (REA).
Energy minister Dr Medard Kalemani made the statement when speaking at the launch of REA phase III (second round) at regional level, an event which was held at Itaswi village on Thursday. The project in the 42 villages will be implemented by Ok Electrical and Electronics Service Ltd.
“Dodoma Region has its 387 villages connected to power services, out the available 565 villages. We are closely supervising the contractors to make sure that all residents in the 187 remained villages enjoy electricity services,” said the minister.
Minister Kalemani advised the residents to ensure proper installation of gadgets as well as wiring for the houses to facilitate connections.
The minister asserted that the government is working day and night to make sure that the whole country is connected to electricity not only for domestic use but encouraging investors who wish to come to the country by generating enough power for industries.
Chairman of the Rural Energy Board – REB, Julius Kalolo said the government intends to connect all the villages countrywide to the national grid by December 2022 and that all divisions by 2025.
According to him, electrification of the villages would spur economic development as villages would be able to establish income generating activities as well as attracting investors in the agricultural and livestock sectors.
He said once the number of investors in the livestock sub-sector increases, villages would benefit immensely because they will be sure of the market for their domestic animals. He said electricity services would also benefit artisanal miners because some of them require electricity to efficiently execute their duties.
REA Director General, Eng Amos Maganga said that establishment of the agency has resulted in major reforms in the country’s energy sector especially in rural areas whereas the availability of electricity has increased from 518 villages (4 percent) in 2007 to 10,312 villages (84 percent) in March this year.
Eng Maganga linked the successes with the government committed to invest in the Rural Electrification Fund (REF) since 2008. He added that from that period to date, over 3.5bn/- have been injected into the fund to facilitate implementation of power projects in rural areas.
“We have so far connected all the district in the country; a total of 3,225 wards out of the available 3,956 enjoy power services, equivalent to 82 percent,” he noted.
Kondoa District Commissioner, Hamis Mkananchi commended the government for a job well done in the energy sector, specifically rural electrification.
He appealed for the government to fast track connection of electricity services to the remained villages to enable residents to venture into income generating projects, thus improving their welfare.