Government Losing Billions On Electricity Poles

BY DRAXON MALOYA

Ministry of Energy has come under fire from the Parliamentary Committee on Government Assurance and Public Sector reforms for purchasing electricity poles outside the country, spending funds for travel to inspect them in the process.

The condemnation comes in the wake of continued power outages in most parts of the country and the Electricity Supply Commission of Malawi (Escom) failure to connect thousands of Malawians who applied for power connection due to inadequate materials such as cables and poles.

Speaking during the Parliamentary Committee’s visit to Raiply Malawi Limited pole plant in Mzimba over the weekend, minister of Energy Ibrahim said continued procurement of poles from neighbouring Zambia and Zimbabwe has been costly hence derailed growth of the energy sector.

Chairperson for the committee Noel Lipipa says it is worrisome that government continues to outsource electricity poles, when a Malawian company has the capacity to supply the same at a low cost.

“Our energy sector is failing to grow just because we are failing to implement the best buy Malawi strategy, let’s support our own companies like Raiply Malawi Limited which have the capacity to supply poles to Escom at a lower cost,” said Lipipa.

In response the minister (Matola), said his ministry will make sure that ESCOM starts sourcing poles from the company as a way of supporting Malawian companies.

“We can’t continue sourcing poles in either Zambia or Zimbabwe when local companies are able to supply the same at low cost, the Ministry will ensure that poles are procured locally,” Matola said

RAIPLY Malawi Limited’s Chief Executive Officer, Chrishna Das said his company has the capacity to supply 136 000 poles required by ESCOM having in stock more than 152 000 poles of international quality at its plant.

“We produce poles that meet international standards and we are capable of meeting both demand and capacity, we are sure of that we have exported these poles before to Zambia so I don’t think there can be a problem supplying same with ESCOM,” Das said.

Earlier this year former Minister of Trade and Industry, Mark Katsonga Phiri is on record saying Government is supporting both Large, Small and Medium Enterprises to access resources that will enable them to contribute towards the industrialization agenda being championed by Tonse Alliance.