Power firms sink Shs5.4b into staff training

The Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL) and electricity distributor Umeme are sinking $1.657 million (Shs5.473 billion) into training of their staff. In Umeme’s case, the money will go to up–skilling network operations staff on network installation and on fault resolution, now that the companies is adopting new electrical technologies. The company hopes this will help to ensure reliability of power supply.

Of the Shs5.473 billion, Umeme will spend $1 million (Shs3.302 billion) though the Daily Monitor could not get Umeme’s breakdown.
When contacted, a Umeme official said they are presently focused on preparing for the release of their interim results in April.
Umeme deputy managing director Sam Zimbe recently said it is important that utilities train staff.

“The challenge we have in the sector is players are poaching from each other. So you train and some of the trained staff end up in another sector, which is bad,” Mr Zimbe said.

UEGCL will spend $50,000 of its $657,300 on consultancy services for the design, tendering and supervision of construction.
It will spend $64,300 on benchmarking with other training institutions such as Zambia’s Kafue Gorge Regional Training Centre, China’s Hangzhou Regional Centre and Norway’s International Centre for Hydropower, and $50,000 on the remuneration for training experts.

The balance will finance the construction of a new training school as well as the renovation of the old premises in Jinja.