RELIABLE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY FOR SHISELWENI

Minister for Natural Resources and Energy making his remarks during the launch.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy has officially launched the Network reinforcement and Access Project (NRAP) worth over E700 million. This project will see over 8000 households benefitting The project which is funded by the World Bank was launched by the Minister for Natural Resources and Energy Peter Bhembe. The project will go long way in providing reliable electricity supply, as the country strives to attain SDG7 which calls for ensuring access to modern energy for all by 2030. Minster Bhembe highlighted that the project is in line with their majesties’ vision of a first world status for Eswatini which mandates access to electricity for all Emaswati by 2022. The Shiselweni region had in the past been lagging behind in terms of network upgrades and strengthening. The main aim of the project is to improve the quality of electricity supply in the southern part of the country and facilitate access to electricity. During the implementation of the project, it is envisaged that the project shall have positive spillovers to the region by bringing employment opportunities as well as business opportunities both in the short, medium, and long term. The Minister further highlighted that he was hopeful that the project will be a success and benefit all the various sectors and communities in the Shiselweni region. Furthermore, he thanked the Members of Parliament (MPs) for the support they showed towards the implementation of the project as he averred this would develop the Shiselweni region positively. The NRA project would enable Eswatini to be able to produce adequate supply for the country and also sell it to other countries, similar to what South Africa is doing. The power cuts would be a thing of the past in the region as the project would produce enough electricity for the region. Business Eswatini CEO Nathi Dlamini applauded the ministry and the World Bank for implementing the project in the region as he averred that businesses depended entirely on the availability of electricity. He said this project would attract a lot of investors in the Kingdom as a whole. World Bank Representative Nonhlanhla Zindlela stated that she was happy that the project was at its implementation stage as this meant the country was headed in the right direction in terms of development.