By Hassan Osman Kargbo
The chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security, Dr Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, has confirmed that the issues of energy are not quick fix problems and they take time.
He made this statement on Tuesday 2 July 2024, at the weekly Government Press Conference held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation conference room Tower Hill Freetown.
According to Dr. Yumkella, to change an energy system takes time, it is not political and also it’s not a quick fixes solutions. It takes time to handle it, adding that, five administrations have resorted to quick fixes, but the country is still grappling with energy problems.
He continued that since the country had the last major crisis, they have had several offers for more boats to come, he said, they don’t need boats or ships to generate power for the country, rather the nation wanted sustainable generational solutions.
He admonished that energy is an investment issue. It is not a charity. The investors have to see that your projects are bankable and viable, noting that they want to build an energy infrastructure for the country. It is not about President Bio’s regime, it is about the nation; Sierra Leoneans.
He admitted that the nation has just one transmission line, which is the 161kv that transmit power from Bumbuna to other areas in the country, but they need to fix that they need to improve on that. Fixing the energy system takes time, it can’t be political. He said to build these infrastructure takes time, but it is doable. It takes time, consistency and team work. And President Bio, with his vision has set the right team to do the task.
He mentioned that, some of these monies they are talking about would go to the development of the energy infrastructure.
“At OPEC Investment Roundtable, we took some of our energy projects, the Bumbuna expansion is our flagship project. Bumbuna is the cheapest and most affordable source of energy we have in Sierra Leone. Bumbuna is sold at 3 cent, whiles Karpower is at 25 cent. Currently, Bumbuna is programmed to produce 50 Megawatts of power, with the addition of two turbines it will give us 100 Megawatts, and the addition of a floating solar to increase energy generation. This is what we presented at OPEC,” he said.
He noted that, they presented another project of 50MW solar at Kamakwie and 50MW Solar at Bikongor. They are also looking at Dodo and Shinjimi Dams. He said The President’s vision is the Just Energy Transition Plan (JET-P) where he has target to generate over 1 gigawatts in the next ten years. President Bio might not finish it, but he is determined to set the foundation. The President and his team are determined to double the energy supply within the next three years. All this takes investment, he said.
He confirmed that they need to fix EDSA if they are to achieve all their good and many plans. EDSA should be able to pay investors when they generate electricity. That will encourage more investors to come in. EDSA board has to be comprised of professional and technical people. It is not witch-hunting, but EDSA has to be reformed and be more efficient and effective.
He added that All these monies (the $800 million pledges, the $480 million from MCC, the $412 million gas Power Plant and the commissioning of the state-of-the-art Lumley Children Hospital) shows clear indications that, the international community and the world have enormous confidence in the government of President Bio and the people of Sierra Leone. Adding that they need to maintain the peace and stability they are enjoying now in order to encourage more investors to come into the country. President Bio is determined to deliver for his people, and he has assembled the right team to actualize that.
“On the Bumbuna 11 Project: That project is a sham. How can a company hold on to that project for over 12 years with nothing to show for it and at the end of the day, request that, the government pay them $90 million for doing absolutely nothing? Is that fair to a nation? No. We are ready to stand against such bad deals, and the government of Sierra Leone is ready to face the company to the international court of arbitration. Many professionals who have taken a look at that project have termed it as “bad.” We are ready to stand against any bad deal in this country,” he mentioned.
