LOCAL authorities have been urged to take advantage of the existence of sunlight for most part of the year in the country to install solar street lights that are cheaper to maintain.
Speaking while commissioning Gokwe Town’s first ever solar powered traffic lights on Monday, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in the Midlands province, Cde Jason Machaya said the use of solar energy should be embraced by all Zimbabweans.
The Gokwe traffic lights were installed at a cost of nearly $30 000.
“The commissioning of these solar traffic lights is coming at the best time to show the people of Gokwe Town and Zimbabwe as a country that Gokwe Town is aware of the energy plight and infrastructure development policy which is being pursued by the Government of Zimbabwe. The installation of these traffic lights is in tandem with the road infrastructure development thrust as enshrined in Zim-Asset. Road infrastructure is a key enabler for the performance of other sectors of the economy hence the symbolic and special importance of this event,” said Cde Machaya in a speech read on his behalf by the director in his office Mr Cleto Diwa.
“Solar energy is an environmentally friendly and a sustainable source of energy. Zimbabwe is blessed in that it lies in one of the best solar radiation belts in the world, averaging at 2 100 kilowatt hours per square metre per year and 3 000 hours equivalent to 300 days of sunshine per year. The government has taken a stance to promote investment in renewable energy and Gokwe Town is today showing its seriousness towards compliance with government policies.”
He said the installation of the traffic lights was going to curb traffic accidents at intersections.
In the past, Cde Machaya said, infrastructure funding came from treasury through the Public Sector Investment Programme, but there has been a paradigm shift.
“As a result, the installation of these traffic lights was funded 100 percent from local revenue to the tune of $29 620 00, a special achievement under the current economic challenges. This robot is evidence of collective efforts of the council, residents and other stakeholders.
“This is greatly appreciated, a dream has become a reality. Such projects will also be critical in Gokwe’s vision of becoming a municipality by 2025,” he said.
Council chairperson, Councillor Ester Sengwa said Gokwe was operating in line with the Zim-Asset cluster on infrastructure development.
She said they were working towards attaining town status by 2025.
“This is one of the projects we are undertaking to ensure 100 percent service delivery to our people,” she said.
