There is need to understand the co-relation between Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and per capita consumption of energy so as to produce the right energy mix for the country, Ministry of State Department of Energy Principal Secretary (PS), Dr. Eng. Joseph Njoroge has said.
Speaking during a two-day conference to commemorate Engineers’ Board of Kenya (EBK) celebrations at 50 years on Tuesday, Njoroge echoed the sentiments that the engineering sector is an enabler of social economics and their mission is to provide energy with discretion.
The PS noted that they have come up with a very good plan reaching the destination of vision 2030 insisting that as planners, economists and engineers they have put medium term plans to focus majorly on infrastructure and devolution which emphasizes on styling up the lifestyle of Kenyans.
Njoroge said that the Big Four agenda is part of the vision 2030 which includes provision of job opportunities, food, affordable housing and the Universal Healthcare Coverage.
“One of the main goals that we are working on is to progressively increase the source of power so that our manufacturing can be more competitive so that we attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to come and set up their manufacturing industries in the Country,” added Njoroge.
On the industrial park set up in Naivasha, the PS said that as an enabler of energy, they will energize the industrial park with a 200kv of power to address any manufacturing concern can be driven by that source of power.
He reiterated that this will be supplied at a reliable and competitive price. “With the Universal Healthcare Coverage, we need high-tech equipment to do a well-informed prescription which need reliable electricity to run them,” added Njoroge.
The PS also commended the last mile connectivity which focused on connecting Kenyans with electricity from 2.3 million people in 2013 to seven million customers, which is two times in six years.
“Our concentration is now at bio-gas and clean cooking solution so that our relatives in rural areas stop inhaling carbon dioxide while cooking since electricity will be expensive,” said Njoroge.
He also highlighted the need to create training opportunities to engineering graduates who leave universities to get internship at institutions and utilize the opportunities as they venture the engineering market.
“Students wait for between two to three years without getting a chance for internship this means there are few opportunities based on the number of graduates graduating from our universities,” said Njoroge as he emphasized the need to incorporate Public Service Commission to take more engineering interns.
The PS said that the best leverage is interconnections with the East Africa communities in power sharing from wind geothermal and hydro with various power pools since there is ease to share.
“This is to empower the lifestyle of Kenyans an address challenges faced by the youth of this nation,” said Njoroge.
By David Musungu
