State starts phasing out charcoal uses

NELLY MTEMA in Dodoma

DETERMINED to protect the environment against the effects of deforestation and climate change, the government has started phasing out charcoal and firewood uses in its institutions.

The ditching of environmentally destructive sources of energy paves way for the extensive uses of renewable energy, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and biogas.

Tabling his budget estimates in parliament here yesterday, Minister of State in the Vice-President’s Office, Union Affairs and Environment, January Makamba said the University of Dodoma (UDOM) will be the first institution to adopt the renewable energy.

He asked the house to approve 14.7bn/- for his office during the 2018/2019 fiscal year, with 9.7bn/- of the requested amount being for recurrent expenditure and 5bn/- for development projects. Mr Makamba further asked Members of Parliament (MPs) to approve 6bn/- for the Vice-President’s Office.

“We have served them (UDOM) with a circular on the uses of charcoal and firewood, considering the huge amount of charcoal and firewood that institution with over 30,000 students uses to serve three meals a day,” he said.

He said the order will also be extended to other academic institutions like secondary schools, colleges and universities as well as security organs, including prisons and national services which consume huge amount of cooking energy.

“My ministry is collaborating with the Ministry of Energy to finalise the National Biomass Energy Strategy that will be circulated to our stakeholders as we continue sensitising all public institutions to get rid of using charcoal and firewood,” he told the lawmakers.

To create more options, the minister said, the ministry has organised alternative energy technology design competition in which winners will be announced during the World Environment Day in June, this year.

And, to keep the environment safe, considering the effects of climate changes, the ministry has identified 20 environmentally sensitive and protected areas. Mr Makamba told the house that 512 environmentalists have been appointed in this financial year to step up efforts to protect and conserve the environment, with the National Environmental Management Council (NEMC) training them.

Regarding plastic bags, Mr Makamba said the ministry met the manufacturers to get their views on how best to handle the situation as well as educating the public on the environmental impacts as a result of using the destructive materials on the environment.

He said the government through Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) has entered into agreement with South Africa-based Africa Institute to remove Polychlorinated Biphenyls chemicals, which are hazardous to the environment, from transformers.

Government efforts to get rid of charcoal uses in public institutions kicked off last August when Mr Makamba announced the strategy to achieve the agenda.

According to the minister, surveys and researches have shown that the pace at which deforestation was occurring due to charcoal production and firewood searching was appalling, insisting that unless the government took an affirmative action to reverse the trend, the situation would worsen.