By Monica Tambala
Lilongwe, March 6, Mana: Minister of Mining, Monica Chang’anamuno, has underscored the need for long lasting innovative solutions that transcends traditional boundaries by aiming not only to provide power but also empower communities in Malawi.
She was speaking on behalf of Minister of Energy, Ibrahim Matola, during the launch of the Energy Delivery Laboratory at the Bingu International Convention centre (BICC) in Lilongwe on Wednesday.
Chang’anamuno said energy, being the driving force behind industrial growth, education, health care and economic empowerment, needs long lasting solutions that foster sustainable progress.
She said it is high time for Malawi to pool a collective intellect to devise strategies that not only tackle existing hurdles but also fortify the sector against future uncertainties.
“The projects initiated under this vision are not mere endeavours; they are pathways to creating jobs, fostering economic growth and ensuring food security for our nation.
“Access to energy stands as a pillar of societal development. This is not only about electrification but also eradicating energy poverty and ensuring equitable access for all,” she said.
Head of Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU), Dr Janet Banda, said the weeklong energy sector lab session has brought together relevant decision makers who share a collective commitment of advancing energy landscape in Malawi.
“This week’s assembly serves as an opportunity to assess the current project status, address challenges and chart a course towards a more robust and energy enabled future of the nation.
“Access to energy stands as a cornerstone of societal development. It is the driving force behind industrial growth, education, health care and economic empowerment as espoused in the 7th Sustainable Development Goal,” she said.
Banda is hopeful that the deliberations will provide strategies to enhance energy accessibility and explore innovative solutions to the identified challenges.
Secretary for Energy, Alfonso Chikuni, said the goal is to achieve 1,000 megawatts by 2025 and achieve 50 percent electricity access by 2030.
However, Chikuni said currently the goal is being hindered by procurement, coordination as well as lack of capacity challenges.
“A project is as good as the project managers. However, we lack capacity for project management, financial negotiations and project planning.
“We just have to innovate in terms of sourcing materials internally and improving capacity for the local manufactures so that we can have materials locally,” he said.
Country Lead for Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Dr Collen Zalengela, said their organisation is providing PDU with a grant of US$1.5 million to support delivery of energy and agri-energy projects in Malawi with the expectation that bottlenecks in energy projects will be dealt with.
