By Kondanani Chilimnthaka
President Lazarus Chakwera on Monday, inaugurated the JCM 20 Megawatts Solar Power Plant situated at Golomoti in Dedza district. 
Speaking during the inaugural ceremony, President Chakwera said, he decommissioned the ESCOM hired generators, describing them as wasteful at the time Malawians deserve an energy programme that belongs to a sustainable future.
“As you may have heard, I decommissioned the wasteful generators that ESCOM had hired under the previous Administration, because Malawians deserve an energy programme that belongs to a sustainable future, not one that is stuck in the broken past.” Said President Chakwera.
He further told the nation that the country deserve energy programme that aligns with the nationally determined goal of reducing Greenhouse emissions by 51 percent by 2040.
For this reason, I must commend the innovation and speed exemplified by JCM in the implementation of these projects. President Chakwera added.
Additionally, the President commended JCM for creating 465 jobs during construction phase of Golomoti Project, and for taking country’s grid to 1000 Megawatts, having JCM contributing 80MW to the total.
President Chakwera then assured the nation of a significant drop in blackouts by December this year, owing it to a loan of 60 million dollars his administration has secured from the World Bank towards rehabilitation of Kapichira Hydro Power Plant that got damaged by the Tropical Storm Ana.
President Chakwera has since urged his Energy Minister to resolve the misunderstanding between ESCOM and Power Market Limited, and clarify yo investors on the relationship between the two.
“These matters were already settled by law, and the ministry must identify who in these institutions is causing roadblocks to implementation of settled policy and see to it that their resistance is thwarted. ‘Dziko lisamachedwe chifukwa cha anthu ochepa idzikonda.” Lamented President Chakwera, while directing Minister Ibrahim Matola to attend to the matter and give him a report by end of June.
In his remarks, Energy Minister, Ibrahim Matola said the coming in of such investors is a clear indication that the country is not at the verge of collapse as has been exaggerated by the opposition, urging Malawians not to listen to lies by such opposition leaders.