Districts to Incorporate PV in their Development Budgets.

In order to sustain the already installed PV systems, the district councils of Mwanza region have agreed to give policy strategy to health committees to incorporate PV systems in their annual budgets to ensure that installed systems are operational i.e. they should be maintained and repaired as per memorandum of understanding between the project and beneficiaries stipulate.

The move was agreed upon in a meeting organized by the Project on 24th May 2006 to discuss the Project profile, objectives, strategies, approaches and achievements. Detailed discussions covered the potential applications of PV systems and its potential developmental roles, especially in off-grid areas.

The meeting was attended by District Executive Directors (DEDs), Regional and District Planning, Medical and Educational Officers in presence of the Regional Planning Officer, the Regional Cooperative Officer and the Regional Community Development Officer.

The meeting presided by the Regional Commissioner also resolved that All districts that had not identified sites for installation of second phase demonstration PV systems should submit the names of the sites to the project so that the later can visit them, explain project implementation arrangements and thereafter sign a memorandum of understanding.

It was agreed that in case the community failed to contribute money for obtaining locally available materials and cover installation costs, the project should re-allocate the systems to the districts which had completed their cost sharing contributions.

Although three (3) systems were already installed in each district, the project had experienced delays in maintenance of existing PV systems in most of the districts and this would jeopardize system operation sustainability. Further more the project expressed intention to add three (3) more sites in each district but relevant although authorities were slow in identifying beneficiaries.

The possibility of incorporating PV in the coming annual development plans was also discussed. The meeting was accompanied by a video show on the PV demonstration sites in schools and health facilities in the districts.

Under a Joint rehabilitation programme which aims at rehabilitation of all health facilities, development of Bill of Quantities (BOQ) should include PV system component..

When the project is signing any memorandum of Understanding with beneficiaries, the signing should involve ward development committees as the district council can easily follow the committee in case it fails to fulfill its obligations.

The district council should look into the possibility of incorporating PV in their development plan and budget. The plan can be of long term where by few sites can be installed with PV systems each year. The Project should remind the councils during planning sessions normally between November and December of each year.

Concerning the sites for PV electrification of secondary schools the workshop advised the project implementation unit to talk to the Regional Commissioner so that through him the zonal education office can be advised.