THE United States President Barack Obama concluded his two day visit to Tanzania with a call to the government to ensure that projects that will be established under Power Africa are implemented promptly so the public can see the benefits in reducing poverty.
In the Power Africa project where the US government will provide US 7 billion dollars, Mr Obama said the private sector will be fully involved in its implementation and it will contribute US 9 billion dollars.
President Obama said the project will have big value, if the government and the private sector participate fully in its implementation.He said the private sectors' intention of providing the funds to be injected in the project, shows the US intention in assisting Africa in the issue of Energy.
"Africa will not be the continent of darkness but the continent of light," Mr Obama said showing how the plan will have immense benefits for the African continent, whose majority of inhabitant do not access electricity.
Mr Obama stressed that the plan's target is to increase power generation to 10,000 MW, that will benefit homes and businesses totalling 20 million.The plan is set to start with Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Mozambique, which already have plans on electricity production.
"These countries already have in place plans on electricity production and we will do everything possible to ensure this is achieved," he explained.Mr Obama who used the opportunity to bid farewell to Tanzanians, said Symbion is a good example of projects that America will implement in the African continent to increase electricity production whose aim is to reduce poverty.
He said the success of the plan would mean success to Tanzania which will benefit from the assured power generation that will help reduce poverty and for America whose business men will have an opportunity to invest in the country.
The US president also urged for laws and regulations to be followed and respected in all investment issues under Power Africa Plan.In the short speech delivered at Symbion grounds at Ubungo in Dar es Salaam, President Obama bade farewell and heaped praises to President Jakaya Kikwete, saying his government has managed well projects implemented under the two countries' cooperation.
"President Kikwete's leadership has done a lot of good things including education, that is why I believe that management of the Power Africa plan in this country will go well," he said.On arrival at Symbion before his speech, President Obama launched balls which have a capacity to produce electricity using gas.
The ball, innovated by youths from US is useful for people living in rural areas for lighting and can also charge cell phones. On his part, the Minister for Mineral and Energy, Prof Sospeter Muhongo said Tanzania will benefit from US new policy of increasing power in the African continent to reduce poverty.
He said the project has come at the right time when the government has put in place strategies to increase power production in the country. He said for now Tanzania produces 1,438.24MW and in the next three years, the country will be producing 2,780MW.
"The aim is to reach 3000MW and we are happy that America have come to support our efforts in reaching our goals," he explained, citing Symbion and General Electric project in Mtwara that was to produce 400MW but now is producing 600MW
On bureaucracy that was chastised by President Obama on several occasions, Prof Muhongo said his ministry has made reforms in issuing of permits and implementation of different projects, citing Dangote Investor who has invested in production of Cement, that his licence was issued within two days.
On his part, Symbion Chief Executive Officer, Mr Paul Hinks said Power Africa is a US government initiative that is designed to address power-related challenges in Africa
He said Symbion has pledged a total investment of USD 1.8 billion and aims to be at the forefront of Power Africa by delivering more generation capacity and increased connectivity through transmission in all the Power Africa countries.
"We are already on the ground in Tanzania and Nigeria and by the end of 2013 we will have over 1,200 Megawatts of capacity in Africa. We will open offices and seek to invest in Kenya, Ethiopia and Ghana. Symbion is also looking into regional investments for privately held transmission interconnections," said Symbion CEO.
Power African initiative, he said, enables companies like Symbion to expand their operations in Africa and would help move towards a more self-sufficient African continent.
"The programme will grow into other countries and those of us who are the founding partners of Power Africa with the US government are hopeful to see more serious investors join us."
Symbion Power is a US energy company based in Washington DC. It is the largest independent power produce in the country and owns three power plants with a total capacity of 217MW based in Dar es Salaam, Dodoma and Arusha.
The company has undertaken extensive power infrastructure work for US government in Iraq, Afghanistan and Tanzania, where it is building power lines and substations for Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).
In its responsibility to society, Symbion has built a training school in Morogoro and has trained hundreds of local workers who are deployed on the MCC contracts and it also operates a school in Dodoma.
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