Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining, Aggrey Masi has said connecting communities to the national electricity grid will transform their lives as they will able to do business with ease.
He said this when he switched on Kanyimbi power line in Nsanje as part of the ongoing Malawi Rural Electrification Programme (Marep).
launch on Saturday
The new line will power the communities and area with electricity, a development Masi said will boost socio– economic activities, especially entrepreneurship.
He said: “The government wants to make sure that many rural and semi urban communities have uninterrupted supply of power in their homes and at business premises. People in this area will be empowered to open different types of businesses which will bring change in their lives.
The minister assured people in the area that government has put soft conditions for electricity connection.
“All those who don’t have enough money to do their wiring, they can contact us and we will do it for them, but at a cost which will be paid in installment during the time they will be paying their electricity bills,” Masi explained.
On his part, Nsanje Central legislator Francis Kasaira, who is also Minister of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development thanked government for providing electricity in his area.
“Women in this area used to travel long distance close to 18 kilometres to mill maize, but with the new electricity line, maize mill businesspersons will take advantage to open maize mills in the area.
“With the electricity, people will conserve the forest in this area because they will stop cutting trees for firewood,” he said. n
