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Maputo — Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Thursday pledged that over 10 million households will have access to electricity in their homes for the first time by 2024 in the framework of the "Energy for All" Programme, intended to secure universal access to electrical power.
Nyusi reaffirmed the government's commitment to achieve this goal at the inauguration of a power supply system in Macate district, in the central Mozambican province of Manica. This cost 238,000 US dollars disbursed by the government, and will benefit 250 households. Presently, 66 connections have been established.
"Six months ago, I announced the abolition of the electricity connection fee, a move intended to fast track new connections and hasten the achievement of universal access to energy. We are not only encouraged but enthusiastic with the results attained so far. About 500 new consumers are connected to the national grid, every day," Nyusi said.
Since the elimination of the fee, Nyusi added, 115,317 households have been connected, while neighbourhoods and other public spaces have been illuminated, thus transforming the lives of many Mozambicans.
"Macate is now in a position to improve its production levels and we would like to urge the district to step up such levels to justify the investment we have made," Nyusi stressed, pointing out that the impact of electricity goes beyond the economic front. Energy answers the consumption needs of households and its availability will leverage the use of health and education facilities, thus boosting the quality of life.
Because of these reasons and the urgent need to shake up the productive sectors, Nyusi advised the local government to spread the productive use of electricity, by promoting investment in sectors such as agriculture, tourism, fisheries, and agro-processing.
From now on, Nyusi said, the milling facilities must operate at full swing in Macate, and there should be an expansion in the size of the district capital, as a place to make a living and to do business.
Nyusi also urged every resident of Macate to stage a tireless struggle against possible vandalism and theft of electrical equipment, since such behaviour undermines collective welfare. "It is good to see electric lighting at night, but suddenly a criminal comes and rips out the cables to make a snare for poaching", he said.
The darkness into which Macate used to plunge every night is a thing of the past, and so Nyusi asked every resident to safeguard the correct functioning of the system and ensure the longevity of the equipment, taking into account that it is a collective asset.
Source: Allafrica.com