Mackie M. Jalloh: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 12 March 2025:
For the first time in Sierra Leone’s history, citizens have been subjected to the most disgraceful and insulting press release from the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA).
This pathetic excuse of a statement, blaming the dry season for the country’s worsening electricity crisis, is nothing short of a direct admission of failure by the government and the entire energy sector.
How does a nation that has existed for over six decades, with countless promises of stable electricity, suddenly announce that its capital city, Freetown, must endure power rationing due to a predictable seasonal change?
EDSA’s public notice is a slap in the face of every Sierra Leonean who has endured decades of lies, corruption, and mismanagement in the energy sector.
The so-called “load-shedding” schedule is nothing but a cleverly disguised way of saying the government has no solution to the electricity crisis.
The fact that EDSA openly admits it can only meet 65% of peak demand in the Western Area is a testament to the catastrophic failure of leadership at the highest levels.
How does a modern society function with such a disgraceful power supply? The people of Sierra Leone deserve better than this endless cycle of mediocrity and incompetence.
The electricity problem in Sierra Leone is not new, but the situation has deteriorated to an unprecedented level. Successive governments have repeatedly promised solutions, yet citizens continue to live in darkness.
Billions of dollars in foreign aid and investment have been poured into the energy sector, yet there is nothing to show for it. Where has all the money gone?
Corruption and mismanagement have crippled any chance of progress, leaving the people to suffer while politicians and officials live in luxury, powered by 24-hour government-supplied generators.
Bumbuna, once hailed as the solution to Sierra Leone’s electricity woes, is now a shadow of its former promise, barely generating a quarter of its peak capacity.
Meanwhile, the government relies on expensive, unreliable, and unsustainable foreign-owned power barges like Karpower, further proving that Sierra Leone’s energy independence is a myth.
The generators at Blackhall Road, which should serve as an emergency backup, are conveniently “undergoing repairs” with no clear timeline for their return. This is nothing but a continuation of the deception and failure that have plagued the energy sector for years.
EDSA’s incompetence is more than just an inconvenience—it is a national crisis. Businesses are shutting down because they cannot afford the skyrocketing costs of running generators.
Hospitals, despite being “prioritized,” are still at risk of power cuts, endangering the lives of countless patients.
Students are forced to study in darkness, further crippling an already failing education system.
The informal sector, which the government claims to be expanding social security for, is being destroyed because small businesses cannot operate without electricity.
Meanwhile, government officials continue to enjoy uninterrupted power supply at State House, Parliament, and their lavish homes, while ordinary citizens are told to accept this disgraceful situation as “normal.”
This blatant lack of care and concern for the needs of the people is infuriating.
It is beyond shameful that in 2025, Sierra Leone is still struggling with a problem that many African countries have long solved.
Countries with far fewer resources than Sierra Leone have managed to provide their citizens with stable and affordable electricity, yet here we are, being fed the same excuses year after year. The time for excuses is over.
EDSA, the Ministry of Energy, and the government must be held accountable for this national disgrace. Where is the transparency on the billions allocated for energy projects?
Why has there been no long-term investment in renewable energy or alternative sources?
Who benefits from the perpetual failure of our electricity sector? The people of Sierra Leone deserve answers, and more importantly, they deserve action.
Until there is a complete overhaul of the energy sector, backed by competent leadership and genuine commitment to progress, Sierra Leoneans will continue to suffer.
EDSA’s press release is not just an admission of failure—it is a declaration of war on the dignity and well-being of the citizens. And the people must not remain silent in the face of this betrayal.
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