The Tanzanian government has begun a pre-paid services project to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) to homes across the country.
The project, which is in the pilot phase, aims to facilitate the use of affordable and clean energy by consumers.
January Makamba, the minister of State in the Vice President’s Office (Union Affairs and Environment) said gas users will now only pay Sh800 for cooking gas once the project is executed across the country.
“In this pilot project, a gas user somewhere in Tanzania fixes a gadget on the gas tank to monitor the amount of gas used and the cost of the gas through mobile-money transactions. This would be helpful for people who can’t afford to purchase a huge amount of cooking gas in their homes,” Makamba said.
“We want people to stop using wood fuel or charcoal for cooking because it destroys the environment and deters the government’s effort to fight climate change, ensure affordable energy in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Moreover, he said by March this year, 16 companies have already received licenses to conduct the pilot project in the country. He also said the LNG project is a strategy toward protecting the environment and enhancing the economies.
- KWS
