By Wezzie Gausi:
The chances of 20,800 households in rural areas having electricity anytime soon under phase 9 of Malawi Rural Electrification Programme (Marep 9) are slowly becoming slim as the Ministry of Energy is struggling to raise forex amounting to $11 million for suppliers to finalise procurement processes.
Marep 9 was slated to roll out in April 2023 but the rollout did not happen since the country has been having forex shortages.
In an interview on Thursday, Secretary for Energy Alfonso Chikuni said the delays by the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) to remit the forex are becoming costly to the suppliers.
He said some of the suppliers have their items in bonded houses and they are charging them but the bonding fees were not included in their contract designs.
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“It is today that I have been informed that RBM has remitted only $4 million to Centenary Bank towards the Marep suppliers. But then the money is still not enough.
“We strongly feel that RBM is delaying us and as a ministry we will still maintain August 25 2023 as the deadline for Marep 9 procurement processes,” Chikuni said.
Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Climate Change Chairperson Werani Chilenga said it is unfortunate that the project is failing to roll out due to forex.
He said the committee understands the forex challenges in the country.
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“The issues of forex have been a challenge indeed but Marep 9 needs to be considered. People have been waiting for this project for many years now.
“Of course, the RBM Governor has pledged his support but that has to be done with urgency,” Chilenga said.
So far, according to the committee, about 50 percent of materials have arrived.
Recently the Ministry of Energy said six firms that were part of the companies that won tenders to supply items under Marep 9 have failed to deliver the supplies.
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