Africa-Press – Tanzania. DEPUTY Minister for Energy Steven Byabato has appealed to Tanzanians to effectively utilise electricity to make positive changes in their lives and increase their incomes.
Equally, he stressed the importance of establishing small and medium industries to enable the nation to achieve its industrialisation agenda.
Mr Byabato said this during his two-day tour of the region where, among other things, he visited Kibeta and Kyaka grid substations.
“Electricity is a catalyst which Tanzanians should utilise to establish medium and large industries. Without an efficient industrial base, the country’s economy can hardly develop and create job opportunities. Industries have the potential for job creation and attracting capital, skills and knowledge…industrialisation is the way to prosperity…national development cannot be imported, it must come from within,” he said.
Electricity is one of the essential resources that foster development in various sectors of the economy, including industries, business, health and education.
Industries that produce goods for mass consumption such as clothes, textiles and edibles are highly encouraged.
President John Magufuli’s administration has embraced industrialisation as part of the panacea for unemployment among the youth because industrialisation is expected to be one of the significant remedies for creating thousands of job opportunities across the country.
He said about 541 out of 662 villages in Kagera Region had already been connected to electricity (equivalent to 81.7 per cent).
The remaining 121 villages will get electricity by 2021 while customers connected to electricity increased from 56,671 in 2015 to 89,172 by June 30, 2020.
“The CCM manifesto contains good development plans for the people and the 5th phase government successfully fulfilled its promises due to proper utilisation of taxpayers’ money,” he said, adding that during the past five years (2015-2020) under President Magufuli Tanzania had been internationally recognised through the implementation of people-oriented projects.
Some of the major projects implemented in the past five years (2015-2020) included the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) that would improve public transport and boost transportation services and businesses.
The Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project will generate 2,115MW. Other achievements include the rehabilitation of the New MV Victoria Hapa Kazi Tu Steamer which has revived transport on Lake Victoria.
