The Prime Minister on Wednesday, April 8, urged the new leadership of the Energy Fund (Funae) to expand power generation capacity using alternative sources, in order to accelerate universal access, particularly for populations outside the National Electricity Grid, according to Lusa news agency.
“It is Funae’s responsibility to expand its energy generation capacity by using alternative sources, so as to reach an increasing number of citizens living in areas not covered by the National Electricity Grid, benefiting communities, households, and small local economic enterprises that would otherwise be excluded from the advantages of electricity use,” said Prime Minister Maria Benvinda Levi.
The Prime Minister was speaking in Maputo after swearing in Mety Gondola as Chairperson of Funae’s Board of Directors, highlighting the importance of energy in transforming citizens’ living conditions, particularly through improved education levels and the creation of better conditions for entrepreneurial initiatives, especially in the preservation of perishable goods.
Maria Benvinda Levi recalled that Funae was created to harness the country’s vast renewable energy potential, providing conditions to accelerate and consolidate the national electrification process, as well as position Mozambique among the leading producers of clean energy.
In this context, she expressed the expectation that Funae will establish itself as an increasingly strategic institution in promoting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient energy solutions, ensuring the generation, access, and use of electricity through photovoltaic, hydropower, wind, and mini-grid technologies.
“To date, the various electrification programs and projects implemented within the National Electricity Grid and in isolated systems have enabled around 65% of the population to gain access to electricity. Electrification based on isolated systems—outside the National Electricity Grid—has been, and will continue to be, crucial for increasing national generation capacity,” she stated.
The Prime Minister also called on the new leadership to implement programs and actions that contribute to achieving the targets for electrifying administrative post headquarters set out in the Government’s Five-Year Plan through 2029, while strengthening coordination mechanisms with development partners and the private sector to mobilize investment for network expansion.
At the same ceremony, the Prime Minister swore in Leonardo António Chavane and Nórgia Elsa Machava as Director-General and Deputy Director-General of the Higher Institute of Health Sciences (ISCISA), respectively. She emphasized that the institution trains professionals based on principles of ethics, professional conduct, and respect for human life, making it essential to ensure the continuous quality of services provided by its graduates.
According to Maria Benvinda Levi, ISCISA is in the process of consolidating itself as a reference institution in health education, supported by the increase in the number of courses and specialties, as well as the goal of ensuring an adequate ratio of health professionals per 10,000 inhabitants.
“We recommend that you consolidate and expand cooperation partnerships, both nationally and internationally, promoting knowledge sharing, academic mobility, and applied research. We also recommend strengthening institutional coordination mechanisms with the Ministry of Health to ensure that training responds to the real needs of the National Health System,” she concluded.
Source: Diário Económico
