Sierra Leone Telegraph: 18 December 2019:
Yesterday, President Dr Julius Maada Bio commissioned the countrywide Renewable Rural Energy Project (RREP) in Petifu, Lokomasama Chiefdom in Port Loko District, Sierra Leone.
The Renewable Rural Energy Project (RREP) which is designed to target 94 communities across the country, is funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DfID).
The project pays mini-grid operators to provide commercially viable solar electricity in rural communities.
Petifu is a rural town in northern Sierra Leone. It lies about 20 miles to Lungi, home to the international airport that serves the West African nation. (Photo: Head of DfID in Sierra Leone, Kobi Bentley speaking).
During the symbolic switching on of the power in Petifu, Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay said that the event is a significant milestone, marking the start of the provision of electricity across the country, in fulfilment of the President’s pledge to increase access to electricity through renewable energy such as solar.
Resident Coordinator for the United Nations, Sunil Saigal (Photo below), said that he is honoured to witness the demonstration of what is a result of effective collaboration between the government and its international partners.
He said the government has shown commitment to deliver development results to improve the welfare of Sierra Leoneans.
Head of DfID in Sierra Leone, Kobi Bentley, said that the event is significant because it celebrated the fact that electricity generated through solar power and transmitted through local mini-grids is now available in 54 rural communities across the country.
She said that the project will run for the next two years, and is expecting mini-grids to be provided in additional 40 larger rural towns and villages across the country.
In his address, President Bio said that the project is aligned with his government’s commitment to produce cleaner, cheaper and more inclusive energy in rural communities across the country, so as to achieve the country’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 – “producing modern energy for all”.
Bio said that the project will also support his government’s human capital development drive by playing an important role in the storage of vaccines and other medications in health centres; increase the study time at schools and homes; and also provide additional resources through technology.
“This project will help support small scale enterprises by stimulating economic activities; and will also help agricultural activities through the preservation of foodstuffs. We will replicate and promote this RREP model and extend energy access to more Sierra Leoneans,” he assured.
I hope this is not free because electricity is not free in any part of the world. People always take free things for granted and never put any value to it. I also pray that some unpatriotic citizen will not see this as an opportunity to steal some of the wires to sell as scrap metals which recently took place in Lungi ( EDSA wires).
Please, I am not here to argue about something I know about better than most. Kindly take a look at this Matturi. You will see that this project commenced in 2016.
https://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/projects/GB-GOV-1-300303
You have not answered my question Mr. Macauley. The development tracker link you sent me has nothing to tell me who NEGOTIATED the GRANT that has just been made a reality. This link also makes me go further by asking some SERIOUS QUESTIONs.
WHY WAS THIS ENERGY GRANT REFUSED IN 2016 till 2018? Please reply as soon as possible. Furthermore, don’t forget to answer to my first question.
By the way, the development tracker is no stranger and not new to me. I consulted it before making my statement. Sending me the link does not prevent your ” giving praise where it is due” RHETORIC from SCRUTINY. Do you agree with me Mr. Macauley? Someone desperately finding the development tracker to help him avoid SCRUTINY. You should be ready because, there are more information to show your ignorance on who negotiated the deal.
Mr. Macauley there on PLANET EARTH refusing to answer to my question and at the same time trying to run away from SCRUTINY. But his MISGUIDED attempt to MISLEAD me will not go away. The COUNT DOWN for LAUNCHING has just begun. GOD BLESS Mr. Macauley.
UK government money was agreed for this energy project by the APC government of president Koroma, but because of elections and delays in contracting, implementation was slowed down. But its good to see progress. Development is about contiuity, so let us give praise where its due.
Are you OK Mr. Macauley? What do you mean by saying ” implementation was slowed down”? You don’t even know what you are talking about. No GRANT/MONEY will ever be slowed down for any reason when approved by the UK government. Do you agree with me Mr. Macauley? So, please talk straight Mr. Macauley.
Such ABSURD ideas about who negotiated this energy GRANT is only for the BIRDS in my view. Look at Mr. Macauley somewhere there in the UNIVERSE trying to MISLEAD me on who negotiated this energy deal and at the same time fooling me about giving praise where it’s due. I hope Mr. Macauley is OK. GOD BLESS Mr. Macauley.
I am not surprised by this project and many more to come. The work of one of our country’s most EXPERIENCED and influential DIPLOMATIC GENIUS has started to bear fruit. Let me thank the former HIGH COMMISSIONER to the UK Mr. Tamba Lamina for engaging not only with the UK government but, with the most POWERFUL and INFLUENTIAL UK PARLIAMENTARY GROUP for helping our country.
I was disappointed when I heard that Mr. Tamba Lamina was leaving his diplomatic post to become minister of LOCAL GOVERNMENT a few months ago. I thought he was going to head the now BORING MINISTRY OF FINANCE but sadly, he was asked to go and put things right at the Ministry of LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
The Ministry of FINANCE needs someone like Mr. Tamba Lamina to clear the MESS it is now in. No doubt in my mind that he would be a very GOOD and PROGRESSIVE MINISTER OF FINANCE. With his influence within the BRITISH POLITICAL CIRCLES, our country will be FLOODED with DEVELOPMENT GRANTS/PROJECTS like no one has ever seen.
Just see the way he restructured the HIGH COMMISSION in the UK to be productive. His mission has always been to negotiate DEVELOPMENT GRANTS from the UK to help his COUNTRY. What a PATRIOTIC LOVELY MAN that has LOVE for FATHER LAND and COUNTRY MEN.
The Ministry of LOCAL GOVERNMENT has seen its performance rise after ages of BORING LEADERSHIP. Thanks to the learned DIPLOMAT and EXPERT in BRITISH POLITICS and RELATIONS. President Bio needs PATRIOTS like Mr. Tamba Lamina to turn the TIDE. His best place in my view is the MINISTRY OF FINANCE. GOD BLESS Mr. Tamba Lamina for all those DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS he negotiated which are now bearing fruit.
Oh wow, congrats to the inhabitants of Petifu village, they are indeed among the luckiest across our nation. We pray for the sustainability of this project to ensure that the villagers of Petifu will continue to enjoy this life-saving renewable electricity energy for years to come.
Thanks to the UK government for providing the resources and skills needed to make such an enviable project successful, in one of our remote villages. We are praying such projects are replicated across the nation in the foreseeable future.
Yes, that’s a good project, in combination with skilled, trained persons for maintenance. But how much the villagers have to pay for 1 KW?