CLEAN COOKING ENERGY: Samia vows transformation
DAR ES SALAAM: PRESIDENT Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan has stressed her commitment to transforming Tanzanians from using firewood and charcoal to clean cooking energy, setting a target of converting 88 per cent of the population by 2030.
“I promise you that, high per cent of Tanzanians will use clean energy for cooking and I will make a follow-up on this, regarding issues of gender and people with special groups, I will continue to ensure that we resolve all challenges,” the Head of the State assured.
Dr Samia made the statement when she spoke via the mobile phone to women during the conference to congratulate her for being a champion of clean cooking energy, environment and mothers and children’s health held in Dar es Salaam ,yesterday, where Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa was the official guest.
On Saturday, President Samia pledged to collaborate with Vice President’s Office (Union and Environment) and the Ministry of Energy to ensure effective realisation of the clean cooking agenda in the country.
She said that as a champion of clean cooking agenda in Africa, she will do whatever possible to make sure the country succeeds in implementing the initiative.
The President made the pledge through a phone call to the VicePresident, Dr Philip Mpango who was presiding over the Women’s Clean Cooking Conference 2024 in Dodoma. She told the conference participants: “I am your leader carrying out the agenda of clean cooking within the African continent.
I am also its champion… I am pleased that the Ministry of Energy and the Vice President’s Office (Union and Environment) Ministry have convened such a crucial conferenced involving women who are the main targeted group.”
Speaking at an event in Dar es Salaam, Prime Minister Majaliwa called on Tanzanians to support President Samia’s efforts so that she can fulfill her vision of strengthening the use of clean energy for cooking, environmental protection and strengthening mothers and children’s health with great efficiency.
He instructed all executives who are in charge of clean energy projects for cooking and environmental protection to ensure that all citizens are fully involved in all campaigns so that the country gets quick results.
“Institutions dealing with energy issues should strengthen campaigns to show the effects of unclean energy and systems to access clean energy so that many members of society can be motivated to turn to the use of clean energy,” Mr Majaliwa said.
Equally, the PM called on the media and artists to cooperate with the government in promoting the clean energy agenda to increase awareness among members of the community and avoid respiratory and eyes disease as well as get enough time for parenting instead of spending much time searching for firewood.
Ministries must effectively manage government and private institutions under them that feed large number of people (from 100 to 300) so that they stop using wood and charcoal for cooking and shift to clean energy”, he added. He also conducted fundraising that succeeded in getting 120m/- to enable President Samia to pick the Presidential candidate form towards the 2025 General Election.
Speaking earlier, Minister of State in the Vice-President’s Office (Union and Environment) Dr Selemani Jafo said President Samia deserves to be called the champion of clean cooking energy and the environment due to the great efforts, she made to create opportunities for Tanzanians to use clean energy and insisting environmental protection.
The Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Parliament, and Coordination), Jenista Mhagama told women to cooperate with President Dr Samia due to her efforts and the great reforms she made that affect women and society in general, especially in the improvement of health infrastructure, water and energy.
The Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Dr Dorothy Gwajima said President Samia has continued to show the leadership that cares about gender issues and special groups, by establishing a Special Ministry adding that President Samia also invests in education infrastructure for female children and enabling women-friendly systems.
The National Economic Empowerment Council (NEEC) Executive Secretary Ms Beng’I Issa said that the day is special for setting a mark to recognise the great efforts made by President Samia in improving the lives of Tanzanians.
