ZANZIBAR needs major investments to enhance efficiency in the provision of water and electricity services, President Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi has declared.

Addressing officials of the Water and Power Consultancy Services (WAPCOS), an Indian firm visiting the Zanzibar State House, he said that Zanzibar receives 110 megawatts of electricity from the Mainland.

The Zanzibar government intends to produce electricity in the Isles and is prepared to cooperate with ready investors in a public-private partnership scenario, he said.

Zanzibar needs to do in-depth research on the production, transmission and distribution of energy with a focus on investment levels and ensuring efficient services, he said.

He invited WAPCOS to see how it can work with the relevant government agencies, hinting that India and Zanzibar are agreed on the importance of investments in social services and have collaborated in various development initiatives, including education.

Rajni Kant Agrawal, the WAPCOS chairman and managing director, said the company is on a visit to provide advice on energy, water and infrastructure designs, and was ready to work with the government to invest in those sectors. 

The company already works in Dar es Salaam, Bagamoyo and other areas, a consultancy firm established in 1969 based in in the capital, New Delhi.