PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan on Tuesday announced a fresh sweeping climate package aiming to widen access and use of clean energy by between 80 and 90 percent during the next 10years.
The new codified state plan includes a 12-months grace period for all institutions providing services to more than 300 people to use clean cooking energy solutions. This would affect hundreds of prisons, schools and colleges which heavily depend on firewood as their main source of energy.
Speaking at the launch of a two-day clean cooking conference in Dar es Salaam tasked the energy minister Mr. Januari Makamba to resolve the matter.
The president went ahead announcing plans to set a strategic task force to review and propose a national strategy on clean energy solutions. The plan she insisted will help Tanzania expands coverage of clean energy by between 80 and 90 percent in the next decade.
"We are here because of charcoal. It has become a problem leading to deforestation in several regions, most of which are sources of fresh water we consume in Dar es Salaam," she said.
"We have been emphasizing on tree planting campaigns. I believe we have to change our attitude by planting fruit trees ... this perhaps can be spared when people rush to cut trees," she said.
President Samia instructed the State Mining Corporation (STAMICO) to fast track their charcoal production plan. She said it's clean charcoal that needs to be produced in mass quantities.
The Special Task Force will be led by the Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, according to President Samia. It will also include the ministry of Minerals, through STAMICO, Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special groups, Ministry of State in the President's Office (PO-RALG) and private sectors.
