Prof Muhongo rallies support for renewal energy, gas sectors

Energy and Minerals Minister Sospeter Muhongo yesterday unveiled the Tanzania Energy Platform (TEP) with a call to energy and gas stakeholders to use it for improvement of the sector.

The Minister said in Dar es Salaam that the government would use the platform to improve the country’s energy policy, saying the government would work on deliberations reached in the platform for the policy review.

The platform is one of the outputs of the Tanzania-Dutch Energy Capacity Building Project (TDCB) jointly executed by the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and Karume Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) in Zanzibar – with funding from the government of Netherlands.

According to UDSM Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof Florens Luoga, the programme aims at contributing to quality research in renewable energy and gas sectors, and at producing well trained and competent professionals.

“This will be an ideal platform for pertinent stakeholders to exchange constructive information on energy and gas,” he said. The Netherlands Ambassador, Mr Jaap Frederiks observed that the Tanzania-Dutch Energy Capacity Building would educate specialists and produce qualified professionals who can work in gas and renewable energy.

“I hope that with this launch we have planted the seeds for enhanced communication among all stakeholders,” the envoy said. Mr Frederiks pointed out that the two countries had worked together, over the past 45 years, in many areas including agriculture, health and women empowerment.

“The fundamental principle of all our efforts is that development is about investing in people, providing education and training,” he said.

As for energy and gas, the envoy noted that successful development of the gas reserves would greatly change the economy and society. The event brought together academics, government officials, members of diplomatic corps, financial institutions, oil and gas companies within and outside the country.