By: Austine Luseni
Communications Specialist
Ministry of Energy
Contact: 077377042/034157390
Leicester Peak, Freetown, Monday August 3, 2020————Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay, has officially commissioned a brand new 450kva transformer at the Leicester Peak-a strategic site that hosts transmission hubs for radio stations and telecommunications companies in Freetown. The development is part of the World Bank/Government of Sierra Leone funded Energy Sector Utility Reform Project ,which aims at a massive overhaul of transmission and distribution lines in the Western Area for quality and sustainable electricity supply.
Giving the background to the urgent intervention, Technical Service Director, Ing. Chernor Jalloh, said that about three weeks ago, the 350kva transformer that used to feed all the transmitters of all the radio stations and telecoms houses , suffered an irreparable mechanical damage. Ing. Jalloh said that the brand new 450kva with a new LV Panel which would be commissioned would go a long way towards cushioning the burden on radio and TV stations and the telecoms houses.
Speaking on behalf of Media Houses, AYV’s Anthony Navo noted that there are lots of radio and television stations with transmitters at the Peak. He cited the SLBC, Radio Democracy ,The African Young Voices (AYV),Star Radio/Television and the Freetown Television Network as some of the key media houses that have transmission hubs at the Peak.
Speaking on behalf of Media Houses, AYV’s Anthony Navo noted that there are lots of radio and television stations with transmitters at the Peak. He cited the SLBC, Radio Democracy ,The African Young Voices (AYV),Star Radio/Television and the Freetown Television Network as some of the key media houses that have transmission hubs at the Peak.
Mr Navo went on to say that they as media houses were devastated by the power outage occasioned by the loss of the transformer and transmission, adding that most media houses were not able to broadcast on a 24-hour basis because of fuel cost. He described the intervention as a huge boost and one that was unprecedented, while also thanking the minister and EDSA for the prompt response .
Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay, said that he was there with his team to respond to the request of media houses. He said the ministry was not oblivious of the importance of the media and telecommunications, noting that , that was why they made a quick response and even had to provide a bigger and more spacious transformer. He added that the Government was committed to improving the quality of electricity through the World Bank/Government of Sierra Leone ESURP.
Mr Kanja Sesay said that most of the transformers had aged, and in the rainy season, they got blown up by thunderstorms or heavy storms. He underscored the crucial significance of the energy reformation drive in the Western Area which has seen the replacements of old transformers with new ones in different communities.
The Energy Minister officially commissioned the transformer by turning on the switch to mark its full energization.
The minister was accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Energy Dr. Eldred Taylor; the Director-General EDSA Dr. Joe Lahai, and other officials from the ministry and EDSA. Representatives of various media houses were also at the ceremony.
The energy ministry continues to impress, leaving no stone unturned in its quest to revolutionize the energy sector in the country.
