Tanzania, WB sign $200m electricity deal
A Tanzanian worker installs electricity in one of the rural areas. Photo by Agencies
Tanzania. The government of Tanzania and the World Bank yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in which the latter will provide $209 million (about Tz Shs456 billion) for the implementation of six-year rural electrification expansion programme.
The six-year project will also be financed by other development partners including Norway who will offer $80 million, Sweden ($70 million), European Union ($50 million), England ($42 million) and African Development Bank ($25 million). Tanzanian government will issue Shs900 million for the project.
The MoU was signed at Kwedizinga Village in Handeni District of Tanga Region between the representative of the World Bank, Ms Bella Bird, and the Acting Director General of Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Mr Gissima Nyamo-Hanga.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by the minister for Energy and Minerals, Prof Sospeter Muhongo, Tanga regional commissioner Martin Shigela and representatives from development partners.
Prof Muhongo commended all development partners, saying that their assistance would supplement the government’s initiatives of making sure that all households in the rural areas get electricity.
He said the programme aims at increasing the capacity, infrastructure and empowering workers’ skills in the sector.
Earlier, Ms Bird, the World Bank’s country director for Tanzania, Burundi, Malawi and Somalia, hailed the government of Tanzania for its efforts that aimed at supplying electricity to rural areas.
She pledged World Bank’s continued commitment towards financing such projects as a way of eradicating poverty in the country.
