Minister for Energy Deogratius Ndejembi has urged newly electrified communities to turn access to electricity into an economic opportunity by investing in productive activities that can raise incomes and create jobs.
Mr Ndejembi made the call after switching on electricity in Mwanubi Hamlet, Shinyanga Region, where he described reliable power as a basic need and an important enabler of economic and social development.
He said expanding electricity access should not end with connecting households, arguing that communities must also use the service to support businesses, add value to agricultural produce and expand other productive activities.
“Electricity should be used productively to increase incomes, create employment and improve people's livelihoods,” Mr Ndejembi said.
He encouraged residents whose areas have already been reached by electricity infrastructure to apply for connections at a cost of TSh27,000, saying wider household connections would increase the economic benefits of rural electrification.
The minister also directed the Rural Energy Agency (REA) to identify areas that have not yet been reached by electricity infrastructure and incorporate them into future implementation plans.
He further instructed contractors working on rural electrification projects to speed up the installation of electricity poles and other infrastructure in areas that remain unserved.
Mr Ndejembi said priority should also be given to schools, health centres and other essential social service facilities to ensure electricity contributes to improved service delivery.
The government, he said, was continuing to invest in electricity generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure as part of efforts to improve the reliability and reach of electricity services across the country.
The investments are expected to support productive activities, value addition, business growth and job creation, while improving access to social services, he said.
Shinyanga Regional Commissioner Mboni Mhita said the expansion of electricity services had created new opportunities for rural communities, particularly in economic activities and access to essential services.
She thanked the government and REA for extending electricity to villages across the region, saying reliable power was contributing to changes in livelihoods and local economic activity.
REA Director General representative, engineer Herini Mhina, said the agency was continuing to implement projects aimed at extending electricity to hamlets that remain unconnected.
She said REA would continue monitoring the implementation of the projects to ensure infrastructure reaches more communities and that electricity can be used for economic and social activities.
Residents of Mwanubi welcomed the connection, saying electricity would create opportunities for businesses, production and agricultural value addition while improving access to essential services.
The Mwanubi project is part of the government's wider rural electrification programme aimed at extending electricity access beyond villages to smaller settlements and supporting economic activity in underserved communities.
