Malawi Govt faulted on electricity tarrif increase: Subsidise costs, appeals MP Dzoole-Mwale
Some Members of Parliament (MPs) on Tuesday faulted government for adjusting electricity tariffs, saying this has resulted in more charcoal use among community dwellers in the country.
Speaking on the sidelines of how Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) has failed to provide electricity to households in the country, Lilongwe Msozi South parliamentarian Vitus Dzoole Mwale asked Minister of Energy, Mining and Natural Resources, Dr. Cassim Chilumpha if he was aware that people have resorted to charcoal as source of energy due to high tariffs charged by Escom.
“I would like to ask Minister of Energy, Mining and Natural Resources if he is aware that people have resorted to using charcoal instead of electricity due to high tariffs charged by Escom,” Dzoole Mwale asked.
Dzoole Mwale further explained that there is wanton cutting down of trees in most parts of the country because of charcoal, saying this has impacted on climate change. He added that government needs to look into this issue seriously.
“I urge government to look into the issue of deforestation that has hit most of communities in the country is search for charcoal.
“It is an issue that requires government’s intervention by either reducing prices of electricity to enable consumers to use it as source of energy and save some trees to avoid further impact on climate change,” he added.
In his response, Dr. Chilumpha conceded that indeed electricity adjustments have had some negative impact on consumers, saying this was inevitable as government wants to make Escom effective and efficient in providing electricity to the citizenry.
He said government through Escom is committed to providing better and affordable electricity to all Malawians.
“Yes, it’s true that adjustments have had negative impact to some Malawians, but let us be assured that government is committed to proving better and affordable electricity to all Malawians to reduce deforestation,” Dr. Chilumpha said.
Chilumpha also explained that for load-shedding problems to be addressed government will in December seal power interconnection agreement to ease the problem.
The country has been under massive load-shedding campaign for many years without the citizenry seeing any hope as to when these problems will come to an end. Load-shedding has cost Malawi economy billions of revenue since investors fear to have further investments in the country.
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