Energy Reformation
By: Austine Luseni
Communications Specialist
Ministry of Energy
Contact: 077377042/034157390
Masiaka Town,Koya Chiefdom, Port Loko District, Saturday September 5, 2020————Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay, has turned the sod for the establishment of a mini grid project at Masiaka while also assuring the people that Koya Chiefdom was always close to the heart of President Bio.The mini grid project will translate into the electrification of the strategically located northern town.
Welcoming the minister and his delegation, the Regent Chief of Koya Chiefdom,Chief Saidu M.Conteh, said that the day was an important and memorable one in his life. He officially welcomed the delegation to his chiefdom, adding that Koya had benefitted tremendously from the Sierra Leone People’s Party. Chief Conteh catalogued the massive developments that the SLPP Government of the late Ahmad Tejan Kabba delivered to the chiefdom and spoke about farming activities currently being undertaken in the chiefdom by President Bio and the Minister of Energy.
Councilor for Ward 257 in Constituency 072, Abubakarr Bangura, recalled the promise he made during elections that if elected he would bring electricity to Masiaka. He referenced the efforts he made in providing solar lights for the Masiaka roundabout. Councilor Bangura noted with delight that the occasion was a fulfillment of the promise he had made while also thanking President Bio for delivering on his manifesto and campaign promises .
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay, said that Koya Chiefdom was very close to the heart of President Bio,noting that the President manifested that by visiting the chiefdom to identify himself with the sorrows of the people on the loss of their Paramount Chief. He described Masiaka as an historic town which strategic location makes it impossible for anyone to travel from Freetown to the provinces without passing through it. Mr Sesay described the lack of electricity in the town as unacceptable.
The Minister of Energy said that the New Direction Government was committed to providing electricity to every part of the country.He added that 54 communities had benefitted from the first Mini Grid package and that Masiaka was part of communities that were to benefit from the second package. Mr Sesay intimated that the project was a DFID and Government of Sierra Leone funded one, adding that residents of the town would have to pay for the electricity by buying pre-paid meters and recharge units after the project was completed.
Mr. Sesay went further to say that the United Nations Office for Project Service (UNOPS) was implementing the project on behalf of the Government, while Power Leon was the private company that would run or manage the project after completion. He assured that youths of the chiefdom would be employed by the contractors .
Site Engineer,UNOPS, Hindolo Saidu-Davies and a representative of the Ministry of Finance , Dr.Alhassan Mansaray,who is also a son of Koya, spoke at the ceremony .
In another development , the Minister of Energy visited the Portee community in eastern Freetown to inspect transformers and to warn residents against illegal connections and electricity theft. He promised the community that his ministry and EDSA would provide them another transformer since the existing ones were too old or small in capacity to adequately address the growing electricity needs of the community .
The visit at Masiaka for the turning of the sod for a mini grid project coupled with the on-the-spot check at Portee, is a manifestation of the desire of the Ministry of Energy and EDSA to realize the dreams of President Bio in increasing access to energy.
