EDITORIAL: MINISTERS’ MOVE TO PROD TANESCO, EWURA LAUDABLE
There can but be no doubt that water and electricity are two of the most pivotal utilities in an economy at both the household and national levels.
An all-inclusive, functional socioeconomic development on a sustainable basis is beyond imagination in the absence of adequate and reliable supplies of water and electricity in any given country.
It, therefore, comes as highly commendable that the Minister for Energy, Mr January Makamba, and his counterpart at the Ministry of Water, Mr Jumaa Aweso, have prodded the suppliers of both utilities into functionality.
Although the two utilities fall under two different government ministries, they are nonetheless lumped together for control, regulation and management under the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (Ewura).
This is an autonomous multi-sectoral regulatory authority established in 2006 and mandated with the technical and economic regulation of the water, electricity, petroleum and natural gas sectors across the country – doing so “in a transparent, effective and efficient manner that ensures their quality, availability and affordability”.
To that very noble end, the two ministers whose portfolios include the two utilities publicly emerged – but each in his own way – to stimulate Ewura and the power monopoly Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) into ensuring that Tanzanians always get uninterrupted supplies of water and electricity at affordable costs.
Mr Makamba also directed Tanesco to regularly be in touch with their 3.2 million customers/consumers in particular – through whom the company generates Sh2 trillion annually – and the public in general, on electricity supply issues.
Ditto for Mr Aweso who directed the water authorities under Ewura to review their water connection charges with a view to reducing them to affordable levels – even as they ensure quality water supplies for all.
We stress the pivotal roles of the utilities in all-inclusive, sustainable socioeconomic development – and, as such, they must be functionally supplied at all times.
LET’S INVEST IN OUR CHILDREN
The government’s pledge to review laws and policies related to children’s welfare is welcome. Children are on the receiving end when it comes to early marriages, malnutrition and violence.
At the same time, the situation on the streets is increasingly becoming worse, given the sharp increase in the number of homeless children. The government’s plans should start with strengthening the family unit. This is the foundation of children’s wellbeing.
Needless to say, strong families give rise to strong societies. It is at the family level where domestic violence forces children to flee their homes, and live precariously on the streets.
There is also a need to ensure that Tanzania’s youth are brought up in a way that enables them to grab the economic, social and leadership opportunities Africa has to offer.
The slogan that “children are the nation’s future” should be made meaningful instead of just being empty rhetoric.
The nation should invest heavily in its young ones to guarantee itself a prosperous future.
