Bumpeh Town,Kono District,Tuesday April 8,2025—- Energy Sector Lead,Dr. Kandeh Yumkella,has visited Kono district to assess the status of the Africa50 50MW renewable energy project and to have discussions with community stakeholders and contractors with respect to the project.
Africa50 is an investment bank for infrastructure in Africa that focuses on high-impact national and regional projects in the energy,transport,ICT,and water sectors.
Speaking after a tour of the site,Dr. Yumkella assured district and chiefdom stakeholders that government was committed to kickstarting the project through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding,MoU.
“The MoU is in shape and we are ready to sign it. Immediately we do that,the experts will be here in the next two months to do the engineering designs and environmental impact assessments.
“We have a six-month time frame to finish the design,” he assured.
He informed chiefdom stakeholders that he was going to take back to the President the outcome of his visit,adding that His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio had played a critical role in facilitating the implementation of the Africa50 project in Kono.
“Kono is close to President Bio’s heart. He chose Kono for this groundbreaking 50MW renewable project because of the love he has for the district,” the Energy Sector Lead said,while noting that companies that have made a name and reputation for themselves in renewable energy in the U.S.A.were now partnering with Africa50.
Dr. Yumkella said surveys on the land for the project had been completed,adding that funds were now available for the commencement of the project.
“Within 12 months,this project will inject power here. My job is to ensure these investments move on time and to work closely with you.
“Our President has a vision, which is to enable Sierra Leone sell or export power to the rest of Africa in the next ten years,”he concluded.
Senior Investment Associate at Africa50,Rami Belaid, said the selection of the project site was informed by the results of the environmental impact assessments. He assured that his company was in Sierra Leone well-appointed in its quest to implement the project.
In another development,the CLSG substation engineer in Kono briefed Dr. Yumkella on the current status of the CLSG project and the connection of mining companies to the CLSG grid.
With the energy sector and the Feed Salone agenda being inextricably linked,reforms continue in the sector.
By Austine Luseni
Communications Specialist
Ministry of Energy
Contact:077377042/034157390
