M a r k e t N e w s
Tanzania: 45 Villages in Mara to Get Electricity
Posted on : Tuesday , 6th January 2015
Musoma — AS part of the government's rural electrification plan, a total of 45 villages in Mara Region will be connected to power through the Rural Energy Agency (REA), it has been announced.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Energy and Minerals, Prof Sospeter Muhongo, who is on a six-day tour of the region to inspect implementation of the second phase of rural electrification projects undertaken by REA and Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco).
Prof Muhongo said by visiting the region the ministry was also working to find out the demand for power in Mara in villages that were left out during implementation of the first phase of the project.
The districts to be visited by the minister include Musoma Rural, Tarime, Rorya, Bunda and Serengeti. The ministry of energy and minerals has been working to supply power in phases to all regions and districts countrywide depending on the population and demand of power in respective areas.
"After completion of the first phase, we are now working on the second stage and the third phase will come into place when this stage is accomplished," the minister explained. He mentioned priority areas for power connections in rural areas as those with social amenities such as schools, health centres, churches and mosques as well village and ward offices and water supply projects.
"The aim is to improve provision of social services at these facilities and afterwards we will connect electricity to individuals. We want to improve the lives of our people through provision of electricity," Prof Muhongo said.
"For any country to improve its economy it must have reliable power supply and this is why the government is striving to distribute the energy to rural areas," he added.
He went on to note that through the energy rural folks will be able to invest in milling of cereals, processing of edible oil and refrigeration of food, among others and thus enable them to increase their incomes.
Speaking during the tour, the Village Chairperson of Bukabwa village, Mr Thomas Makwera, said villagers there have lacked electricity for many years and thus held back development projects.
He was, however, happy that the village will soon be connected to the energy as constructors are currently erecting poles to supply power.
An Engineer for DERM Electrical, the contractor implementing the project, Hussein Ayubu, said erection of poles and supply of power will be finalised by early February, next year.
Prof Muhongo urged the villagers to make use of the opportunity since power connection fees have been reduced to only 27,000/-.
Source : allafrica.com
