Uganda’s Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) has once again done it at continental level!
The power regulator has for the fifth time running, been named by the African Development Bank (AfDB) as the best entity in Africa with the best regulatory policies.
The policies assessed include Regulatory Governance Index, Regulatory Substance Index and the Regulatory Outcome Index.
The AfDB on annual basis conducts what it terms as Electricity Regulatory Index (ERI) survey and just like the previous year 2021 where 43 countries with regulatory authorities participated, even in last year’s (2022) assessment 43 countries including Uganda were involved.
According to Energy and mineral development minister Ruth Nankabirwa, the fifth edition of ERI released mid December by the AfDB, showed that Uganda maintained it’s top position.
“Uganda continues to lead the continent with a robust and well developed electricity regulatory framework and has held this number one position consecutively since 2018 when the index survey was first launched” she says adding that this excellence not only profiles the country, but also boosts investor confidence in Uganda.
She commended ERA C.E.O Eng. Ziria Waako Tibalwa and the board chaired by Dr. Sarah Wasagali Kanaabi for the job well done and all Ugandans for this outstanding performance.
“I thank President Museveni for the support he gives to energy sector. With this support, we shall achieve more” she said as she addressed the media on the success stories in the Energy Supply Industry for the year 2022 at media center.
Meanwhile, Nankabirwa has issued a strong warning to police officers whom she said are conniving with vandals to terrorize the electricity infrastructure.
She said vandalism is currently the biggest challenge facing the power sector with vandals cutting down pylons.
“We now know the network. The scrap dealers, the factories that provide the market. We know the network of boys doing it. We know our own police officers who help in this business. We know them and therefore, it won’t be business as usual” she said, adding that she was planning a meeting with scrap dealers this month of January.
“I encourage police to handle those vandals very seriously. These are not petty thieves but real terrorists. Imagine, someone is in the theatre and power goes off! What’s that? I urge police to do more and also beg Court to prioritize cases of vandalism” she said.
President Museveni during his new year’s message, called the act of cutting down pylons childish and blamed it on what he called anti-NRM elements. He promised the country ‘news’ soon in relation to action against those behind this vice. Last week while at State House-Nakasero, he said once he intervenes, some of those vandals will be sent to their creator!
