Khartoum – The Minister of Electricity, Mutaz Musa, has said that the government has no other option but to adopt the package of economic measures it introduced recently to bridge the gap in the external trade balance and check the deterioration in the value of the national currency in accordance with its responsibilities.
The Minister was speaking in a symposium organized by the Sudanese National Youth Union Sunday on the package of economic reforms and its effects on the living conditions of people.
Musa explained that the increases in the rates of fuel and electricity target financing the development projects in the country to increase production.
He reviewed the remedies introduced by the government for the effects of the economic measures on the poor and limited-income sectors in the society, saying they include salary increases and extending monthly financial support to 700,000 families to the tune of 4.5 million pounds.
The Minister disclosed that 87% of electricity consumption occurs in the housing sector and that 9.3% consume more than 800 kilowatts each per month, which is the category for which the rates are increased, while the rates for the rest remain unchanged.
The Secretary General of the Sudanese National Youth Union,  Murtadha Abu-Bakr, for his part, said the recent economic decisions are intended to lay a sound bases for supporting the needy in the society, especially that a big number of them have not been benefitting from the various support packages in the past.
He expressed the support of the union in the economic measures for realizing social justice.