Govt accelerates rural electrification

**Victoria Immanuel **

ONDANGWA – With electricity access at 59.5% nationally, the government is stepping up efforts to accelerate electrification projects and bring power to more Namibians, particularly in rural areas.

According to the 2023 Census, urban households have 77.3% access to electricity, compared with 37.9% in rural areas.

Mines and Energy minister Modestus Amutse made the remarks during a ministerial engagement in Ondangwa to accelerate the delivery of electrification projects, where he called on electricity distributors and other implementing partners to work together to speed up service delivery.

Amutse said the figures
show the importance of speeding up electrification to improve education, safety, health and economic opportunities in communities.

“Electrification is not
merely the construction of poles and lines. It is about dignity. It is about education, safety, health, communication and economic participation,” Amutse said.

He said electricity is one of the most direct ways the government can improve people’s daily lives, from helping learners’ study after sunset to supporting businesses, clinics, water pumps and other community facilities.

Limited electricity access also affects small businesses operating from home.

Amutse called on electricity distributors to reach a common understanding of where time is being lost in project implementation and what support is needed to advance development.

“This is a working session. We must leave with a common understanding of where time is being lost, what support is required, who must act, and by when,” he said.

He said overplanning comes at the expense of communities waiting for development and lacking the capacity to provide electricity for themselves.

Amutse encouraged electricity distributors to remain resilient in their efforts to bring services closer to people across all 14 regions.

Oshana governor Hofni Iipinge called for closer cooperation between electricity distributors and regional leadership when implementing national programmes.

He said this would help ensure that projects respond to realities on the ground and manage the expectations of Namibians in both urban and rural areas.

“Those responsible for electricity distribution must carry out their duties efficiently, particularly when resources are available, and responsibilities have been assigned,” Iipinge said.

A woman from Onaanda village in Omusati said she has to stop selling at around 18h00 because it becomes too dark, limiting her opportunity to earn an income.

“I want to sell other things, like cold drinks, but I cannot because I do not have electricity. The transformer is far from my house, and I cannot afford to bring electricity from there,” she said.

She said access to electricity would let her operate longer hours and expand her small business. Another woman from Oshikolongondjo
village in Oshana region said residents also need
affordable access to transformers so that more households can connect their homes to electricity.

“We want electricity in our houses, but the cost of the transformer is too high for us. If it can be made cheaper, more people will be able to connect and benefit from electricity,” she said.

• –*vkaapanda@nepc.com.na

The post Govt accelerates rural electrification appeared first on New Era.