33 households of Tuvavatu settlement in Rakiraki now have proper electricity

Thirty-three households of Tuvavatu settlement in Rakiraki now have electricity after the completion of a rural electrification project which cost $480,000.

These households have been using solar power and lanterns for last  7 years.

The Minister for Infrastructure, Jone Usamate whilst commissioning the project says accessing electricity improves the livelihood of every Fijian, young and old and its effects multiplies to contribute to the achievement of development goals.

He says the government has set a national target of ensuring that all Fijians have access to electricity by 2021.

Usamate says over the past five years, the government has provided funding to the tune of around $224 million towards the energy sector in which 70 cents of every dollar spent in the sector has gone directly to rural electrification.

More than 25,000 Fijian households have benefited from this rural electrification project.