KETRA KALUNGA in Chitambo writes
@SunZambian
THE electrification of Chitambo district which covered 46, 000 households has been completed, says Rural Electrification Authority (REA) director engineering Patrick Mubanga.
Mr Mubanga said the authority had a challenge of line ministries completing internal wiring for them to be connected to the national grid.
The K4 million project would cater for the commercial and residential plots that Chitambo town council has advertised and the 40 housing units that National Pensions Scheme Authority would construct in the area.
At the centre of this project was the US$25 million Cassava Milling Plant to be completed in December this year which would improve and social and economic status of the district.
Mr Mubanga said the labour based project undertaken by a local contractor, Mass Global Investment and completed in a space of eight months was the first out of 25 across Zambia.
Speaking during an inspection visit of the completed Chitambo Grid Project on Monday, Mr Mubanga said the undertaking included the electrification of the Muchinka Rural Health Centre and primary school as well as Chitambo Central Business District(CBD)
“We thank government for funds provided to implement this project, 99 percent of works have been done. What is remaining is a small percentage of wiring,” said Mr Mubanga.
He however stated that the Authority has had challenges with internal wiring of the projects in the district as was the case with Muchinka rural health centre were wiring had not been done.
And speaking earlier, Presidential Assistant for project monitoring and implementation, Andrew Chela expressed disappointment at some line ministries for failing to ensure internal wiring was done for the rural electrification project.
Mr Chela said it was unfortunate that there was low or no appetite from people to have power which was the main reason the project was implemented in the district.
And Chitambo district commissioner Catherine Kunda commended REA for the project.
Ms Kunda said the Chitambo rural electrification project would increase productivity and add value to the economic growth of the district.
