Rural electrification under the spotlight

RUNDU – Mines and Energy Minister Erkki Nghimtina held an information-sharing meeting with regional and local authority councillors at Rundu last week, to exchange views on how best to implement the Government’s rural electrification master plan programme.

Speaking to Nampa shortly after the meeting, the Minister revealed that the Government this year allocated N$30 million to energise the rural electricity grids in all the country’s 13 regions. “The main issue is that rural areas which were electrified before were never energised and we decided to energise those areas, before we continue with the rural electrification programme itself”, the Minister said.Nghimtina explained that energising rural electricity grids would not be completed this year alone due to budgetary constraints, promising that the process would, however, continue in the next financial year.The Minister also discussed solar power and other renewable sources of energy with the regional leaders.Due to the vastness of the country’s rural areas, Nghimtina said the Government has considered solar energy as an alternative source of energy to these areas to complement the rural electrification programme.With regards to mineral exploration in the region, the Minister disclosed that some mining companies were awarded mineral rights in order to prospect and determine the deposit of such minerals in the region.”There are viable mineral resources in the region that would accelerate economic activities,” noted Nghimtina, but would not divulge the viability and types of such minerals.Meanwhile Acting Kavango regional Governor Frieda Siwombe appealed to the Minister to speed up energising villages that were not connected to the electricity grid.Nampa”The main issue is that rural areas which were electrified before were never energised and we decided to energise those areas, before we continue with the rural electrification programme itself”, the Minister said.Nghimtina explained that energising rural electricity grids would not be completed this year alone due to budgetary constraints, promising that the process would, however, continue in the next financial year.The Minister also discussed solar power and other renewable sources of energy with the regional leaders.Due to the vastness of the country’s rural areas, Nghimtina said the Government has considered solar energy as an alternative source of energy to these areas to complement the rural electrification programme.With regards to mineral exploration in the region, the Minister disclosed that some mining companies were awarded mineral rights in order to prospect and determine the deposit of such minerals in the region.”There are viable mineral resources in the region that would accelerate economic activities,” noted Nghimtina, but would not divulge the viability and types of such minerals.Meanwhile Acting Kavango regional Governor Frieda Siwombe appealed to the Minister to speed up energising villages that were not connected to the electricity grid.Nampa