Sierra Leone Telegraph: 14 June 2022:
A delegation from the U.S. Government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) arrived in Sierra Leone yesterday for a series of bilateral meetings designed to advance the development of the country’s first compact program – a large grant designed to facilitate economic growth.
According to a statement from the US embassy, the three-day talks will involve MCC’s Principal Deputy Vice President of Compact Operations – Kyeh Kim, meeting with the country’s private sector, government officials, representatives from all political parties, and other development partners, particularly those interested in the energy sector. (Photo below: President Bio bends the ear of his energy minister).
The government of Sierra Leone has requested MCC to design a potential compact – in coordination with the Sierra Leone Compact Development Unit (SLCDU) – to address Sierra Leone’s aged old electricity supply problem, which will require hundreds of millions of dollars investment to fix .
“Energy creates opportunities. Whether it is an opportunity to study after the sun sets, receive better care in a hospital, or the ability to establish or expand a business,” said Kim.
“I’m looking forward to continuing our consultative process with our Sierra Leonean partners this week to ensure that the final compact is broadly inclusive and brings the opportunity of energy to all Sierra Leoneans.”
Currently, only 26 percent of Sierra Leone’s households are connected to an electrical grid, mostly in the capital Freetown, and unpredictable service blackouts force most firms to rely on costly diesel generators to support their operations.
The lack of electricity also exacerbates Sierra Leone’s food insecurity crisis by limiting the presence of processing and storage technologies that use electricity, contributing to high rates of crop loss and waste. The compact design process is analyzing how to address these challenges.
“Country ownership is at the core of MCC’s model,” said new Sierra Leone Country Director for MCC, Steven Grudda. “We look forward to sitting in person with Sierra Leoneans at all levels, from all sides, throughout the week to advance project designs that are inclusive and beneficial to all Sierra Leoneans.”
MCC’s Board of Directors selected Sierra Leone as eligible for compact development in December 2020. Over the last 18 months, MCC and the SLCDU have worked together to conduct joint analysis of the country’s economy and identify potential opportunities for investments that will help address the lack of affordable and reliable electricity among households, businesses, and social institutions.
The proposed compact follows a $44.4 million threshold grant awarded to the Government of Sierra Leone, that has improved access to clean water supply and electricity in the capital Freetown.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation is an independent U.S. government development agency working to reduce global poverty through economic growth. Created in 2004, MCC provides time-limited grants that pair investments in infrastructure with policy and institutional reforms to countries that meet rigorous standards for good governance, fighting corruption and respecting democratic rights.
As always is me and you and ordinary citizens Sierra Leone that wants to better their lives and the lives of fellow Sierra leonean that have the lion share of burden imposed on us by a corrupt cabal that have no shame in Shepparding on paper one of the richest country in the world but the reality of course we are still listed as one of the poorest countries in the world .Why ?You may ask the inevitable question, a country of our size and population , with all the human and natural , which makes me sounds like a broken recorder that we are still battling to power our homes , drive on paved roads , good health care for anyone who needed ,especially for would be new expectant mothers , yet today our country has one of the highest rate of women dying trying to give birth than even country’s that are going through civil wars across the African continent.It should not be and should not happen if we have a political leadership that put the interest of our country and her people first before their own personal interest , families and friends. We have been banging on about corruption and how it has contributed to our national under development , but still we have a president that have used the anti corruption commision as a tool to stifle dissent and curb the opposition which by it’s very acts and nature is the perfect description of corruption .Talk of corruption fighter back as Bio likes to remind us is an understatement .Bio and his one directionless government have managed to divorced the meaning of corruption from the. English Oxford University Press dictionaries and come up with his own definition in the context of Sierra leone: , as a tool to oppsressed ones political opponents for party political advantage .We don’t need the United States government hand outs , or other international financial institutions like the IMF , World Bank , ADB , British overseas Aid , or the European Union .This dependency culture needs to stop otherwise we will never be a fully equipped, functional and independent state .If our country can utilise our God given human and natural, through investment in people , Science and Technology,education , primary health care, meaningful infrastructure projects not gimmicks or White elephant projects that meet the needs of local communities, and create a national dialogue for the way forward for our country ,sourcing ideas from the grassroots , and makes every community every tribe, and every district in Sierra Leone feels we are part of dream to develop our country, surely our country that was once dubbed the Athens of West Africa , and at some point in our recent past history growing and exporting our own staple food rice , there is nothing that can stop us from reaching such lofty goals.We only need politicians that are truly committed to our national development by setting up a five years and ten years plan targets and ensuring we all work together that common goal to lift our country and it’s people from that poverty quagmire we find ourselves under Bio.The problem with getting foreign assistance you are told what to do not the other way round .
First of all, I give thanks to the MCC representatives that flew their countries to fixed the energy long time problems in our beloved nation and those in government that stand firmly to make this dreams a successful especially to our hard working president Rtd Bragdier Julius Maada Bio who have defend this country as a military and now a president. I prayed for a safe return of the MCC representatives to their various countries. Maintenance of electrical appliances equipments, like transformers, energy prepaid meters, power stations, conductors should be taken into consideration to maintain stable energy. As of currently when energy prepaid meters is faulty EDSA cannot replace instead telling customers to buy new ones while the customers are being charged for services every month at le10,500 and I also understand that the tariff have increased again for customers.
I have a case of faulty prepaid meter #16400377426 that EDSA disconnected it on the 24/01/2022 at 12Mess road Makeni, the type of fault stated meter not display. I reported this case and I even posted it in LinkedIn they turned blind eyes to me. I am a voluntary tutor at Sierra Leone Opportunities Industrialization Center SLOIC Makeni Campus, teaching electrical engineering principles with no salary but I am still continue sharing the little ideas I have to my colleagues youths for a better world. I have over eight years experience in repairing mobile phones, domestic house installation and maintenance of some electrical appliances. Government should create opportunities to people that have gone through Technical Vocational training on electricity so that theieft of energy can be reduced, Empower TEC Voc institutions to build our nation.
Your resume is good.. I believe that you have your own little workshop where you attend to customers. The private sector is aways better. Well in corrupt society the millionaires are in the public sector. Ironic isn’t it?
Thanks so much for your contributions, the Sector needs People Likee you. Keep up with your good Work, one Day you will reap some benefit.