Nyusi inaugurates electrification of administrative post in Balama

Maputo, 27 Sep (AIM) – Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Thursday connected the Mavala administrative post, in Balama district, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, to the national electricity grid.

Connecting Mavala to the grid cost 76 million meticais (about 1.2 million US dollars, at the current exchange rate), entirely financed by the Mozambican state budget, according to a press release from the publicly owned electricity company, EDM.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Nyusi stressed the benefits of electricity for Mavala. “This power is not just for switching on light bulbs”, he said. “It should be used to produce wealth”.

He pointed to the role of electricity in increasing production and productivity, for “only thus will electricity fulfil its function of driving development”.

Nyusi urged Mavala communities to use the power efficiently and to be vigilant against the theft of electricity and the sabotage of electrical installations. He warned that although the initial connection to the electricity grid is free of charge, the subsequent use of power is not, and the theft of electricity is a criminal offence.

The Mavala connection consisted of building 20 kilometres of high voltage and 10 kilometres of low voltage transmission line. Five transformer posts were installed and 150 lampposts for public lighting.

The inauguration of the Mavala connection coincided with the arrival of electricity at the Chiure-Velho administrative post, in Chiure district, also in Cabo Delgado. The electrification of Chiure-Velho cost 67 million meticais from the state budget. It involved building 25 kilometres of medium voltage transmission line from Chiure town, and the construction of a further 10 kilometres of low voltage line.

This brings to 45 the number of administrative posts electrified in Cabo Delgado, out of a total of 56.

(AIM)

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