By Amina Kingazi i
Tanga — The public utility firm TANESCO has succeeded in collecting at least half –7bn/- of the outstanding 15.4bn/- that remained uncollected from its clients across the region only two months ago.
The move follows President John Magufuli’s directive to disconnect power from anyone, or firms, with pending bills “regardless of their status.
” Tanga Regional Tanesco Manager, Engineer Abrahaman Nyange said here yesterday that the president’s order had since paid dividends, as debtors come forth to beef up their revenue collection efforts.
Immediately after the presidential order, many in Tanga suffered power disconnections even as others rushed to make good their outstanding bills in March this year – raising at least 7bn/-.
He singled out public institutions as being the most notorious defaulters, at time blaming lack of ‘sufficient budgets’ to meet their outstanding electricity bills.
He also said the delays had, in turn, been affecting their own operations and development projects, such as service distribution and line maintenance, among other infrastructure.
But he also pointed to losses caused by heavy rains that adversely affected power distribution networks within — and across — the region where some poles reportedly fell down.