Biteko orders disband of ETDCO’s board
TANZANIA: DEPUTY Prime Minister, Dr Doto Biteko, who is also the Minister for Energy has ordered dissolution of Electrical Transmission and Distribution Construction and Maintenance Company Limited (ETDCO Limited) Board of Directors and appointed new management following poor performance, theft of public funds and electrical equipment in the firm.
The deputy PM issued the directives during a working session between him and the management of Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) and its subsidiary companies including ETDCO Limited and TANESCO Regional Directors and Managers held in Mwanza City yesterday with the aim of discussing performance in the electricity industry.
The development came just a day after the deputy Premier directed TANESCO Board to sack ETDCO General Manager, Muhamed Abdallah, who has failed to prioritise execution of the projects being managed by the company including slowing construction pace of 132KV power transmission line from Tabora to Urambo and Mpanda.
Dr Biteko made the decision following the failure of some officials of TANESCO and its subsidiary companies to implement his directives of December 2, 2023, which included combating corruption, building good relationships with the people they serve, strengthening trust within and outside the institution, stop making excuses and address power problems when they arise.
Equally, Dr Biteko has directed all employees involved in the theft within the organisation to be held accountable according to the law including sacking them because they are the cause of power outages facing the country.
He also directed that citizens who would provide information leading to the identification of the thieves of electrical equipment thieves be given congratulatory letters and cash rewards.
Dr Biteko added that some of the employees who have been engaging in theft of various electrical equipment, including equipment with copper, transformer oil, project equipment, and construction of illegal lines that are not in TANESCO’s plans.
The deputy Premier also warned factories and people engaging in scrapper business in the country that stringent measures will be taken against them once found with stolen items, adding that they will be treated as thieves and not buyers of the equipment.
In order to strengthen TANESCO performance Dr Biteko said there will be work assessment in regions in every quarter of the year in which various criteria will be used including customer service and frequent power cuts, which in some causes is due to negligence.
“Those who will have poor performance will be assigned other duties.” He also directed TANESCO regional directors and managers in the country to collaborate with Regional Commissioners to strengthen security of power infrastructures especially at the moment when the power status continues to improve.
In a related development, Dr Biteko said that TANESCO’s security department should also continue to strengthen security of electrical equipment and refrain from creating friendship with thieves.
On his part, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy, Eng Felchesmi Mramba urged TANESCO employees to change mindset, because in some instances, they can work without the directives of their leaders.
