REA to decentralize operations

The Rural Electrification Authority (REA) has said plans are underway to decentralize its operation in its bid to improve connectivity across the country.

REA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Godfrey Musonda says the authority wants to have a presence at both district and provincial level.

Mr Musonda said REA wants to have offices in all the 10 provinces of the country by next year.

He further said the authority wants to have atleast three (3) new offices by the end of the year especially in Chipata.

The CEO said this in Chipata when he paid a courtesy call on Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Bert Mushala at his office today.

Mr Musonda has since asked the permanent secretary to assist the authority in securing accommodation for REA officers to be deployed to Chipata.

And Eastern Province PS Bert Mushala said the decentralisation of REA operations is long overdue adding that the province was ready to accommodate REA offices.

Mr Mushala commended the move to open up offices in the province saying this will allow people to fully understand the role of REA.

And Mr Mushala has called on the Rural Electrification Authority to extend its programmes to Chadiza especially the area of Tafelansoni which he said was developing fast and needed to be connected to the grid.

In response, Mr Musonda assured the Permanent Secretary that Chadiza was strongly being considered for electrification by the authority.

He further said that engineers have already been sent to the district to check the scope of work.