The more reasons the protections of public property including vulnerable services should be a must by all and sundry, as part of our civic responsibilities, because EDSA 315KVA transformer specifically damaged along with its accessories are being procured by government through the line Ministry of Energy from tax payers’ moneys, therefore making it the business of every Sierra Leonean for it serves as direct benefits to all.
The destroyed 315KVA transformer which cost millions of Leones provides the community and its environs with constant electricity supply, though that has been briefly interrupted by thieves’ vandalisms.
Nonetheless, Minister of Energy Alhaji Kanja Sesay on arrival at the scene of destruction was received by rude shocks, but however encouraged residents – consumers to own the facility, remain vigilant, always surveillance and bouncer EDSA transformers and other equipment. He said safeguarding such facilities would always serve the best interests of both government and consumers everywhere in the country.
Alhaji Kanja Sesay assured the Kosoh Town community of replacing the facility with the utmost sense of urgency within record time, to sustain regular power supply to that part of energy consumptions communities under his political leader at the line ministry.
Thankful and thumbs up to you Alhaji Kanja Sesay and your team for the responsive leadership demonstrated so far in reforming the sector. You are indeed a true patriotic servant of the people. The Energy Minister’s throw of ownership of electricity equipment to communities across the country including is a move in the right direction…just that in new imaginary new direction. But honestly, he said it all, in that funds mobilized for the procurements of those accessories are not coming from his pockets, nor President Bio but from state coffers. The more reasons we should all collectively server as watchdogs over our EDS transformer and other electricity supply equipment. So Sierra Leoneans put your mouths where your moneys go!
Besides, none of us want to see the destructions of valuable public property like what happened to the Kosoh Town EDSA 315KVA transformer during the May 16th 2021 heavy downpour of night rain, which is now affecting every community member in that part of the Western Rural District. Although certain people always believe that as long as such facilities are government property, it is not their business, but the one at Kosoh Town now becomes the business of all, for everybody is presently affected by the power outage.
Forum’s national call here to stand firmly as guards is indeed aimed at saving the sector’s facilities and equipment from the hands of enemies of the state, who are constantly bent on destroying the sector and undermining government’s challenging efforts geared towards energy reformation.
Destructions of the sector’s facilities have always occurred since Adam and Eve, but not to the magnitude of this nature, which range from transformers and its accessories, by thieves for their selfish desires at the detriments of a very large energy consuming community in the rural district.
Much as Forum Newspaper note the perpetual sufferings of energy consumer communities in accessing power supply with legitimate concerns in certain areas, we also want to humbly suggest to the appropriate authorities through government and EDSA, the line Ministry of Energy, to be somehow be innovative in the installations of their equipment, next time with notification devices with the appropriate technology that always alerts their various sub-stations and directly notify them whenever facilities – transformers, meters and others are tampered with by unknown person. By so doing it will facilitate immediate responses to probable scenes of crime and possibly prevent the stealing of electricity supply equipment in future.
One thing that should always be in mind is that these acts are not done by novice neither aliens but well oriented EDSA related and electricity technicians with the technical knowhow, may have connived with criminals and caused such havocs. So let the law takes its course and bring them thieves to book.
That is why this medium strongly backs the proposed joint investigation into the matter by the Sierra Leone Police, the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces and the Office of National Security to track down the enemies of the people. And these ill motivated people when found guilty, should be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the land for the conspiracies to undermine government’s efforts and reforming the energy sector.
And it is therefore necessary for authorities to set a brighter on those who will be found culpable for the destruction of the 315KVA EDSA transformer to forestall similar attempt at such facilities and any public property in future.
On that note Forum joins the appropriate authorities in calling for independent speedy investigations of the matter and bring it to a logical conclusion, while all remain firmly committed towards serving as strong collective guards for our energy, electricity supply equipment ensuring their fullest protections from thieves.
