Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet for Finance and Economic Development, Siazongo Siakalenge, says government is targeting to ensure that residential areas and compounds are provided with electricity for a minimum of 16 hours daily.
Mr Siakalenge says this must be achieved before the end of September 2025, because the power supply crisis has had a serious impact on the country’s developmental agenda.
He said this at the quarterly financial and economic development cluster meeting for Permanent Secretaries and Controlling Officers in Lusaka yesterday.
Mr Siakalenge said there is need to leverage on the favourable energy reforms such as open access and net metering, to efficiently address the energy challenges being faced in the country.
He further implored the Ministry of Energy to undertake more sensitization on open access and net metering stating that the public has less information on the subject matter.
“We must urgently work together to ensure that this issue, one that has potential to derail our progress, is resolved. Our immediate target is to ensure that a minimum of 16 hours daily electricity supply to residents and compounds, to be achieved within this month,” Mr Siakalenge said.
Meanwhile, he directed the controlling officers to take the Cabinet decisions as a priority by ensuring that they are urgently implemented.
Mr Siakalenge stated that the Cabinet has made a number of important decisions that require timely execution for the benefit of the Zambian people.
He also called for the highest level of prudence and accountability in the use of public resources, stressing the strain on the national treasury.
“I would like to urge you to minimize both local and international travel so that we can save resources that can be channeled to developmental programmes such as buying desks in schools,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Head of Presidential Delivery Unit, Kusobile Kamwambi shared three key areas of focus from the cluster meeting which include alignment of goals with the national priorities and the President’s vision.
Ms Kamwambi said there is need to ensure efficiency in terms of savings, cost control, less duplication and bureaucracy in service delivery.
“It will be good for us to keep our discussions based on key principles which have been the drive for this year,” she stated.