Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
An international human rights organization, FIAN International Zambia has added its voice on the proposal by ZESCO to increase electricity connection fees, calling on the power utility to instead reduce the fees to ensure a substantial population of people moves away from depending on charcoal.
FIAN Country Coordinator, Vladimir Chilinya says the proposed hike in connection fees by ZESCO if approved by the ERB will not only disadvantage the low-income households, but will also impact negatively on mitigating climate change as most people will continue depending on charcoal thereby contributing to the depletion of the forests.
ZESCO has proposed to the Energy Regulation Board for an upward adjustment in electricity connection fees to a minimum of 4,600 kwacha and a maximum of 13,300 kwacha.