Government Reiterates that Energy is Instrumental to Sustainable Development

By Robert Kumwenda

Government has repeated saying that energy is instrumental to sustainable development, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Energy, Natural Resources and Mining Patrick Matanda said during the African Hydro symposium organized by the Energy Generating Company (EGENCO) in Blantyre.

Matanda said a lot of countries in Africa including Malawi are facing challenges in the energy sector due to change in climatic conditions saying that this is not good news because when power is missing other resources needed for sustainable development will also be missing.

“If we are to develop as a nation we need power and it is my hope that the meeting will explore the need for renovations and improved technologies in the context of climate change,” he said.

Matanda also said other companies are welcome to invest in the energy sector because most companies are using generators.

He also said that it is not the work of government alone to improve the challenges that are in the energy sector, development partners and the private sector have also a role to play to explore and find the real solutions to the power sector.

Speaking at the same symposium, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) William Liabunya said there vision is to create a better Malawi through power generation.

He said as a new growing company, they are geared to contribute to development of power sector in Africa.

“We launched our fifteen year strategic plan this year and the three projects that will shape the power industry in Malawi. We want to generate power that is sustainable and reliable,” he said.

Liabunya said government of Malawi unbundled the Electricity Supply Commission of Malawi (ESCOM) and a new company was born in the name of EGENCO.

About ten countries from Africa and four from the overseas are attending the symposium.