17 September 2013, Lusaka – The Zambian government has called on people in the rural communities to take advantage of the electrification project by coming up with business ventures that will put electricity to good use.
Mines, Energy and Water Development Deputy Minister Charles Zulu said electricity in rural areas should not go to waste but be put to proper usage to create employment for the locals.
Mr Zulu said reliable electricity was one of the key drivers of any country’s economy and that soon, people would see the real value of having electricity in rural areas because some people would open up sustainable and profitable businesses.
“Looking at the amount of investment that government has put into electrifying this area, it is important that this project does not only end up at lighting public facilities.
Residents of Chanyanya should begin to apply to ZESCO so that they can have power in their homes and business premises,” he said.
The Deputy Minister was speaking in Kafue’s Chanyanya area when he officiated at the commissioning of the Chanyanya grid extension project at Chanyanya primary school in Kafue.
And speaking at the same function, Rural Electrification Authority, REA, chief executive officer Geoffrey Musonda said the project, which was awarded to Yengatech enterprises is one of the 21 projects started in November, 2012 and cost K1.5 million.
The construction works involved the extension of a 33kv line over a distance of 1260 metres to supply power to Chanyanya habour, 33kv line over a distance of 3307 metres to supply power to Chanyanya primary school and Mungu basic school.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Kafue, Obvious Mwaliteta warned the residents against vandalising the installations and appealed to ZESCO to sensitise the people on the electricity subsidy that requires residents to pay a small fee for connections.
– Times of Zambia
