TANZANIA: TANESCO REFORMS SEEK TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY

PS, Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Eliakim Maswi.

Songea — Reforms to be undertaken by the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) seek to improve the power utility's efficiency, with no adverse impact on employment terms of the current workforce, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Eliakim Maswi, has assured.

Addressing Tanesco workers here during his eight-day tour of various projects under the Ministry, Maswi said the reforms expected to start 2017 are intended to see the firm serving the public well.

However, he said, before the reforms are in place the government is fighting that come 2015 Tanesco is free from debts, for improved performance.

Maswi said the reforms intend to decentralize operations and give more powers to zonal and regional offices unlike now whereas they are left as revenue collectors with the head office planning their share regardless of their collection.

"Such situation is failing the workers in regions as they collect more and get less while bosses at headquarters spend more. I will cancel all their trips so that you get a bigger share," he assured the workers.

He encouraged them to work on challenges saying by December this year, every district will have a vehicle which was among the major problems raised by almost each centre.

"We have ordered the vehicles already and by December you will have them, I understand they are among the problems affecting your efficiency as you cannot reach the sites especially in remote areas in time," he told the workers.

Maswi, however, said that he will discuss with the Tanesco management so that purchases can be done at district and zonal level, unlike the current situation where all purchases are done in Dar es Salaam.

"So, if you need milk, fuel, stationary, one must travel to Dar es Salaam and back. That is wastage of time and resources; we need to empower the district and zonal offices," he said.