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WESTERN Province Permanent Secretary, Andrew Bukali, has appealed to the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) to speed up construction works on the Nangweshi Power Grid Extension project in Sioma district.Mr Bukali said delays by the contractor engaged to undertake the project was worrying and urged REA to ensure the electrification project was completed.‘’My first project to visit when I was appointed PS for Western Province was Nangweshi and works were advanced but I wonder why it was delaying,” Mr Bukali said.Mr Bukali was speaking when REA Chief Executive Officer, Clement Silavwe, paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Mongu.He said the Nangweshi project was very important to the region as it would improve lives of locals through power connectivity.“The project is very important as no household in this era would not like to have electricity connected. Households and other sectors need the power to effectively deliver,” he stressed.Mr Bukali however said his office was happy that REA would ensure the project was completed adding that it would add value to the district and the entire province once done.The Permanent Secretary also urged REA to extend similar projects to other parts of the province as well.In response, Mr Silavwe said that REA had taken it upon itself to oversee the project and have works completed on time.“We are aware of the challenges the contractor has faced and we are visiting the project to see how the remaining project works will be completed. The contractor has since been engaged,” Mr Silavwe said.Mr Silavwe who attributed the delays to inadequate funding, said 80 percent of the works at the project were done.He promised that he would ensure that it was completed and handed over to ZESCO next month.“Funding was in the past a challenge but has since improved. This will enable us finish the project and hand it over to ZESCO by this year,” he said.Mr Silavwe said the project which was costing K4.8 million would initially have 60 connections once commissioned.He indicated that households would be paying a subsided K250 to ZESCO for connections and that REA’s mandate would end with construction of the grid.
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