Recurrent Singida power outages upset Kalemani

 
MINISTER for Energy, Dr Medard Kalemani has expressed concern over frequent power outages in Singida, asking Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) leaders in the region to assess themselves if they indeed perform their duties effectively.

The minister expressed concern recently when he toured the region for the inspection of power projects being carried out under Rural Electrification Agency (REA) phase III and II.
The Minister issued the warning at Nkuninkana village in Ikungi district here during his official visit to inspect the implementation and monitoring of the Rural Electrification Agency phase III and II Projects in the region.
Dr Kalemani cautioned that since access to electricity was now needed much more than ever before, any unnecessary power disruptions would no longer be tolerated. “I am giving you one week, thereafter don’t expect to hear any more about these erratic power cuts. It’s likely that your infrastructure has become obsolete.
Thoroughly inspect your transformers one by one as well as the electric poles and if needed, replace the defective ones,” the Minister said apparently not happy with the situation.
He directed the REA project Contractors to make use of the young people in their respective working areas instead of waiting for labourers from other parts of the country in implementing the job.
“Just engage the youth who are in your vicinity as this will also give them employment opportunities. No academic degree is required in carrying or setting up the electric pole; so there is no reason of importing labourers from outside the region,” he noted.
He instructed REA project contractors to make sure each house in the area was not left out for any reason during the implementation process and equally sent a strong message to some unscrupulous village executives and chairpersons in the area who are reportedly collecting 50,000/- from unsuspecting villagers as electric pole fees.
He further directed Tanesco Management to open sub offices in the rural areas where electricity was now available so that customers are not forced to travel long distances in search of any related services.
During the visit, the Minister also called on the wananchi to make sure all electricity infrastructures installed in their areas were taken care of so that sustainable services could be available even for the next generation.