New Energy and Minerals Minister, Professor Sospeter Muhongo
At least 30 per cent of the country’s over 44 million people should access reliable and affordable power supply by 2015, new Energy and Minerals Minister, Professor Sospeter Muhongo has said.
Prof Muhongo said while meeting United States Ambassador to Tanzania and East African Community, Alfonso Lenhardt that according to Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited, 18.4 per cent of the population has access to electricity. “We are targeting to have 30 per cent of the population getting electricity in the next two years but how will that be done, it remains a miracle,” Prof Muhongo said as Ambassador Lenhardt pledged US support to help the country end its energy problems.
Prof Muhongo who was appointed to the energy and minerals ministry last week, has raised a lot of expectations in the public because of his unique qualifications and experience as geologist who has served African energy and minerals sectors. Defining his strategy in ensuring that his ambition of supplying 30 per cent of the population is realized by 2015, the minister said he will work closely with Tanesco, Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) and National Development Corporation (NDC).
“I want to bring together all the key players under the ministry instead of working as fragmented institutions as is the case now,” Prof. Muhongo said. The former Executive Director of the International Council for Science (ICSU)-Africa Region who was based in South Africa, said he has worked with other African experts of how to harness the continent’s energy sector and pledged to work closely with the US government to tap natural gas, coal and hydro-electric power sources.
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