Dar es Salaam — MINISTER for Energy Deogratius Ndejembi has directed the Rural Energy Agency (REA) to stop awarding new contracts to contractors who perform poorly in electricity project implementation, in a move aimed at strengthening accountability and speeding up completion of government projects.

Ndejembi issued the directive today, in Dar es Salaam during a meeting with officials from the agency, contractors, and stakeholders in the rural energy sector. The gathering also featured an awards ceremony to honour contractors who delivered strong performance in rural and village electrification projects, including those who completed work before contract deadlines.

The Minister said electricity is no longer a luxury but a basic necessity, stressing that the government is focused on building a country where power is not only widely available but also used productively to improve the socioeconomic wellbeing of citizens.

He said access to electricity is improving learning conditions in schools, strengthening services in health facilities, and supporting both small and large businesses. He added that expanded electricity supply is a key driver in achieving the goals of the Vision 2050 development agenda.

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Ndejembi commended REA for its performance, noting that national electricity access has risen to 85.5 percent while rural access has reached 78.1 percent, compared to 2 percent when the agency was established in 2007.

He further said electricity has now been extended to all 12,318 villages in mainland Tanzania. He added that 40,182 out of 64,359 hamlets, equivalent to 62.4 per cent, have also been connected to electricity services.