Government says it is working on initiatives to diversify the energy sector by bringing in more alternative sources of electricity including solar energy and other viable sources.
Speaking during the launch of the Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation, ASCENT program in Lusaka today, Minister of Energy Peter Kapala said the program will go a long way in mitigating current and future energy challenges, as the country is currently experiencing firsthand negative impacts of loadshedding.
Mr. Kapala said the country’s electricity production has been impacted by drought, which has affected the country’s ability to provide quality services in health, education and compromised the economic activities across various sectors of the economy.
Mr. Kapala said the ASCENT regional platform will benefit Zambia with advisory support and knowledge sharing with other countries.
He has further called for more partnerships involving all concerned stakeholders to overcome the energy challenge the country is faced with.
And COMESA Secretary General Mulenga Kapwepwe said Africa continues to lag in terms of energy access as estimated by the International Energy Agency (IEA) that more than 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa still lack access to electricity, with rural populations, who are usually the poorest, hardest hit.
She said governments need to create conducive environments that encourage private sector participation, streamline regulatory procedures and offer incentives for smart and renewable energy investments.
Ms. Kapwepwe said the ASCENT Project aims to capture all the different facets of energy access interventions encompassing innovative financing, policy enhancement, project preparation support, gender dimensions and climate change.
By Margaret Mwanza
