{"id":6184,"date":"2022-07-07T07:33:13","date_gmt":"2022-07-07T07:33:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ugandaupdatenews.com\/?p=6184"},"modified":"2022-07-07T07:33:22","modified_gmt":"2022-07-07T07:33:22","slug":"minister-okaasai-advises-kumi-residents-to-use-electricity-for-development-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/minister-okaasai-advises-kumi-residents-to-use-electricity-for-development-projects\/","title":{"rendered":"Minister Okaasai advises Kumi residents to use electricity for development projects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By ZURAH NAKABUGO<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Minister of State for Energy Sidronius Opolot Okaasai has urged residents of  Kumi district to use electricity for industrial and economic development projects -including  factories, modernization of agriculture and farming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe President has been at the forefront of ensuring access to electricity all over the country for socio economic development- especially in rural areas for jobs and wealth  creation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hon.Okaasai said that accessing sustainable energy contributes to a better-quality life.  Lack of  electricity is a major constraint to the people\u2019s  social and economic development with women bearing the brunt of energy poverty as they strive to support their families, the Minister observed .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVision 2040 acknowledges energy as one of the key fundamental requirements to harness the country\u2019s opportunities and drive the industrial and service sectors. Strong growth in the national economy is bound to increase the demand for energy and thus open the sector for further development. Achieving the right balance between energy, economy and environment, will lead to sustainable development,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The minister was commission the implementation of  the rural electrification project in Kumi district which is being undertaken  by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development.  TBEA- a Chinese firm was contracted in October 2019 to  implement the project for three years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least 300 sub-county headquarters across 91 districts, including five in Busoga Sub-region are set to be connected to power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The project worth US$ 212m (about Shs 750bn) loan which the government secured from the EXIM Bank of China towards electrification of all sub-county headquarters across the country and all service centers along the line routes will improve economic lives of Ugandans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Kumi and Ogooma [both in Kumi District] became the latest sub-counties to be commissioned with power bringing the scope of completed works to about 80 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okaasai said all the projects have been technically tested and handed over to the service provider to have electricity extended to rural areas and have many  Ugandans connected to the grid .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently, he said, the country\u2019s electricity access level stands at about 57 percent, with grid connectivity at 19 percent and off-grid connections at 38 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okaasai said they are extending electricity transmission lines all over the country and outside Uganda to export excess power to East African region and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201c In order to get electricity, you must have a house that deserves to get electricity. It\u2019s very dangerous to take electricity to grass-thatched houses, it\u2019s too risky. But we shall connect power to all the areas we have surveyed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okaasai said by end of this year, government is investing another 600 Megawatts of electricity from Karuma dam electricity project in addition to the current 500 Megawatts and in total the country will have a total of 1,100 Megawatts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe need not less than 30,000 megawatts of electricity in the near future to drive the economy. We shall generate electricity from water, solar and nuclear. We expect our first nuclear plant by 2035,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Charles Angon, the MP Kumi Municipality the high cost of power connections for the rural poor plus delays in power connections as some of the challenges faced by the people .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c Teso region ranks one in poverty ratings in Uganda . There is no way I can buy a cable for power connection when I don\u2019t have food. This cost of power has to be brought down soon,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abdul-Aziz Ongodia, the Chairperson LC3 Kumi Sub-county said that although electric-poles have been erected in people\u2019s compounds, majority of residents are not yet connected to power since they can\u2019t afford to pay for expensive connection fee of worth Shs 700,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWiring power in house costs about Shs 1.5m and connection costs Shs 700,000.  In  total, its   Shs 2.2m, which I can\u2019t manage to get with my salary of Shs 300,000 per month. We want Minister to review the cost of power since it\u2019s too high and yet we have a lot of power in Uganda,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ongodia also requested Okaasai to help schools in Kumi district to get power since all the schools there don\u2019t have power and this affects their performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okaasai explained  that in order to reduce the cost of electricity in Uganda- there is need for more people to get connected-to share out the cost of generating, transition and distribution of electricity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGovernment doesn\u2019t have enough resources to get everybody connected to electricity so, people should look for connection fee to get power,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apolot Christine, the district Woman MP Kumi district advised people to avoid misusing electricity since its very expensive and always switch off lights during the day to avoid high charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c It\u2019s true the cost of power is too high but people should also be mindful on the way they utilize power. Women miss use power.They don\u2019t switch off power during day time because they know it\u2019s the  husbands who meet the costs yet it affects them too,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apolot appealed to government to compensate people who are complaining about their houses and trees which were destroyed during electricity distribution in their area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wegulo Byakatonda, the manager projects department of the Rural Electrification Programme in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development said:  \u201cthe demand for electricity among Ugandans is bigger compared to the resources.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said, the scope under implementation consists of more than 10,580kms of electricity network and 1,926 transformers installed in the districts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Busoga , the sub-counties to benefit from power include Busesa, Kapyanga and Nabukalu in Bugiri; Kiwanyi and Maziba in Namutumba; Irundu, Budiope and Nagandho in Buyende; Budondo, Buyende, Buyengo, Kabowa and Nawandala in Jinja, and Namalemba in Bugweri.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other sub-counties are in Kapchorwa, Kumi, Bukedea, Butaleja, Kyegegwa, Kassandha, Kiboga, Kagadi, Kibaale, Kayunga, Isingiro, Kanungu, Bundibugyo and Adjumani, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 North Division: Okouba, Adacar, Adacar(1), Omolokoyo, Okouba(2), Okouba(1), Angopet, Amejei, Kabata<\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Division: Abubur Village, Abu, bur Center-, Kelim, Abosan 1, Olungia<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ogooma: Muruikara, Morita, Aguuba, Ogooma HC, Ogooma TC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kumi Sub county: Asinge 1, Asinge 2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atutur: Akalabai, Kajamaka, Kapokin, Oswapai, Orapada Center\/Akalonyi, Kalungar 1, Kalungar 2, Orapada PS.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By ZURAH NAKABUGO The Minister of State for Energy Sidronius Opolot Okaasai has urged residents of  Kumi district to use<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6186,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[87,65],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6184","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-energy","category-national-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sa-2.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6346,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/tough-law-enacted-to-deal-electricity-infrustructure-vandalism-minister-okaasai\/","url_meta":{"origin":6184,"position":0},"title":"TOUGH LAW ENACTED TO DEAL WITH ELECTRICITY INFRUSTRUCTURE VANDALISM-MINISTER OKAASAI","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"August 7, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0Private Solar Power generating individuals, companies allowed to sell power to the national grid The Energy and Minerals week 2022 is on BY ZURAH NAKABUGO The Minister of State for Energy Sidronius Opolot Okaasai has warned the public against vandalizing the country\u2019s electricity infrastructure noting that offenders will face tough\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/national-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ok-scaled.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ok-scaled.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ok-scaled.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ok-scaled.jpg 2x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ok-scaled.jpg 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4679,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/power-blackout-in-kampala-is-due-to-vandalism-of-high-voltage-electricity-lines-in-areas-of-mukono-says-state-minister-okaasai-opolot\/","url_meta":{"origin":6184,"position":1},"title":"POWER BLACKOUT IN KAMPALA IS DUE TO VANDALISM OF HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICITY LINES IN AREAS OF MUKONO SAYS STATE MINISTER OKAASAI OPOLOT","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"November 29, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"By Our Reporters in Munyonyo Hardly two days after the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa decried the rampant vandalism of evacuation power lines and expensive towers across the country \u00a0\u2013 the vandals struck again -this time near the capital Kampala- in Mukono and brought down two high\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Energy"","block_context":{"text":"Energy","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/energy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/IMG-20211129-WA0086.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/IMG-20211129-WA0086.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/IMG-20211129-WA0086.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/IMG-20211129-WA0086.jpg 2x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/IMG-20211129-WA0086.jpg 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8666,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/energy-ministry-government-to-extend-electricity-in-34-districts\/","url_meta":{"origin":6184,"position":2},"title":"Energy Ministry :Government to extend electricity in 34 districts","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"April 5, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"By Our Parliamentary Reporters The government through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development is to extend electricity to over 34 districts in the next financial year officials led by State Minister for Energy Mr. Sidronius Okaasai Opolot have stated . 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