By Alusine Sesay
The government of Sierra Leone has set an ambitious goal to address the foundational problems facing the country’s energy sector in 36 months.
At the weekly government press briefing, both the Minister of Finance and the Chairman of Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security emphasized on the need for a sustainable solution to the energy sector.
Dr Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella said: “To change an energy system takes time, it takes 30-40 years. It cannot be political and you the citizens must know every regime that comes will have to put down its own foundation,” he said, while adding that: “We the citizens must know that this is a structural issue, it’s a systemic issue, it’s not a quick fix.”
Dr Yumkella outlined plans to expand the transmission lines to the various regions and improve on the local energy generation capacity.
A new World Bank report, ‘SIERRA LEONE – Beyond Connections: Energy Access Diagnostic Report Based on the Multi-Tier Framework’, shows that 21.1% of Sierra Leone households nationwide have access to electricity via the national grid (20.5%) or mini-grids (0.6%) and 14.7% have off-grid access.
Finance Minister, Fantamadi Bangura also emphasized on the same approach, which he said will be done by building on the strengths of the country in the energy sector. He said Sierra Leone’s long-term solution will be to build on its hydro potential across the country and blend it with solar, an approach the finance minister says has already impressed investors.
All these remarks come at the backdrop of a huge win for Sierra Leone, which saw President Bio mobilize investment to the tune of $800 million at the OPEC roundtable last week. The investments will target energy and agriculture and help to address the long term ‘structural’ issues with both sectors.
Dr Yumkella said the country laid five key energy projects for potential investors to look at: scaling up Bumbuna from 50MW to 120MW, 50MW project in Kamakwei, 50MW in Bikongoh, scale up of Dodo hydro project from 6MW to possibly 12MW and 15MW project in Singimi, Moyamba District.
“To build all this infrastructure is difficult but it is doable in the next 3 years with all the money we are getting,” Dr Yumkella said.
Minister of Information, Chernor Bah said all these investments have been made possible because of the transformational work and leadership the President has shown and the caliber of the people he has assembled to serve the country.
“It is not about President Bio alone; it is about all of us; me you and all other people and what we can do to take Sierra Leone forward,” Bah said.
Dr Yumkella and the Minister of Finance said a lean team of technical experts has already been assembled by President Bio to track down all those potential investments, and some of the money could be ready in the coming months to invest in projects like Bumbuna and Tormabum.