National Energy Sector and Allied Workers Union welcomes the reduction of Load shedding

The National Energy Sector and Allied Workers Union (NESAWU) has said it is delighted with the New Dawn government’s efforts aimed at reducing the current national power deficit that has resulted in prolonged hours of load shedding.

Acting Minister of Energy Douglas Siyakalima on Thursday announced that ZESCO Limited has reduced load shedding hours from 12 hours to 8 hours after Maamba Collieries resumed feeding the national grid with 150 megawatts.

NESAWU General Secretary Clark Siankulu said the union is happy that the government has reached an agreement with Maamba Collieries to begin feeding the nation grid with 150 megawatts to mitigate the power outages in the country.

Mr. Siankulu has also applauded government over its plan to set up a 2,000 megawatt solar plant following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between ZESCO and MASDA of the United Arab Emirates.

Zambia’s power utility firm, ZESCO and MASDA of the United Arab Emirate will set up a 2,000 megawatts solar plant with an estimated cost of 2 billion United States dollars.

Mr. Siankulu said the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the two firms has come at the right time when the country is threatened with serious power shortage.

“The National Energy Sector and Allied Workers (NESAWU) has welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between ZESCO and MASDA of the United Arab Emirates worth $2-Billion joint venture to set up 2, 000 megawatts solar plant.The development has come at the right time when the country is threatened with a serious power shortage and will go a long way to boost electricity generation.The signing of the MOU is a demonstration of the seriousness that President Hakainde Hichilema attaches to finding long-term solutions to the power deficit and the joint venture once operationalised will drastically reduce the power shortage in the country.The injection of $2-Billion is massive and must be supported by all well meaning Zambians including the leftists that are blaming the New Dawn Government for the current load management the country is experiencing,” Mr. Siankulu stated.

He charged that the current power challenges the country is facing are as a result of poor foresight and management by the Patriotic Front regime.

“Suffice to say the power challenges the country is facing are as a result of poor foresight and management by the former regime that today would want ot heap the blame on President Hichilema and his administration.As such, we as a union has welcomed the development because it is timely, long overdue and the kind solutions that the nation require in the long-term. These are fruits of the head of state and his team for undertaking a trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). When you talk about 2, 000 megawatts of electricity, that’s a lot and the project implementations will come with fringe benefits such as jobs creation for the citizens especially the young people,” he said.

Mr. Siankulu added that Zesco Limited was in competent hands.

“The energy sector union is happy with the president’s forward looking approach to resolving problems that are dodging the country and wishes to advise people in the habit of condemning everything that the new dawn government is doing to introspect because some of them were in power and failed to resolve the load shedding problem.We want to commend the government for reaching an agreement with Maamba Collieries to begin feeding the nation grid with 150MW in order to mitigate the power outages.”

“This also goes to show the kind of leadership the country has under Hichilema.The union would also want to thank ZESCO management under Victor Mapani’s leadership for seizing the power deal at the time that the country’s power situation is a source of worrisome.This goes to show that ZESCO is in safe hands and being managed by a competent team of professionals without political interference.Minister of Energy Peter Kapala signed the MOU on behalf of Zambia in Abu Dhabi during the Sustainability Week in the UAE at a ceremony witnessed by President Hichilema.We agree with President Hichilema’s post on his Facebook page that the venture is testimony of the confidence the international community now has in the Zambian leadership,” he said.