World Bank loan cheers South PF official

Mon, 10 Jul 2017 10:59:05 +0000

By MUKOSELA KASALWE

THE $26.5 million International Development Association (IDA) credit by the World Bank will enhance Government’s vision of increasing electricity access in rural areas.

Southern Province Patriotic Front (PF) information and publicity secretary Trymore Mwenda said this in an interview.

Mr. Mwenda said access to electricity in Zambia had remained low particularly for people in rural areas.

This, he said, had made them use alternative sources of energy such as charcoal and firewood which unfortunately disturbed the entire ecosystem.

He said the credit by the World Bank, aimed at increasing access to electricity in 36 districts in nine out of the ten provinces in the country was commendable.

Mr. Mwenda expressed happiness that Southern Province was among the nine provinces to benefit from the programme.

Mr Mwenda said rural electrification would propel economic development such as opening up of value addition industries like agriculture and translate to poverty alleviation.

“We are happy that Southern Province is among the nine provinces to benefit from the programme because rural electrification will spur economic development like opening up of value addition industries to agriculture produce and translate to poverty alleviation,” he said.

He said access to electricity in rural areas was important because it helped replace consumption of kerosene, diesel, dry cell batteries, and alternative fuels such as firewood that contributed to deforestation.

Mr. Mwenda noted that electricity played a pivotal role in economic growth and employment creation as it was a flexible form of energy and a critical resource for modern life.

He said the government, under President Edgar Lungu had demonstrated its resolve to increasing access to electricity through numerous power projects across the country.

The government also values the significant contribution electricity made to the development of the nation.

Mr. Mwenda said people of Southern Province would be able to venture into both small-scale and big businesses once they had access to electricity thereby improving household income and reduce poverty in rural areas.

He said the province would be able to move with modern technology once power was taken to rural areas.