By Alpha Abu
The cities of Bo and Kenema are said to be having a total overhauling of their electricity systems as an expansive project to improve power supply in the two regional cities gets underway.
The Communication Specialist in the Ministry of Energy, Austine Luseni, in a telephone interview with Politico on Saturday said the power poles and lines have aged and would have to be replaced in the Bo/Kenema Electrification Project that is funded by the World Bank and the African Development Bank.
Luseni further revealed that towns along the highway linking the two cities, such as Jembeh and Yomandu, would also benefit from the power generated. He confirmed the arrival and assembling already of 40% 11 KV Works and 30% of Low Voltage Materials for the energy project that he said would take 18 months to complete. Some 19 sea cargo containers reportedly arrived in Sierra Leone and were transported to the project sites on the 2nd November, he said. The haulage was the fifth consignment of materials to arrive in the country, he added.
Luseni pointed out that the Covid- 19 pandemic posed a challenge to the project but the Ministry of Energy was resolute in getting it running, especially bearing in mind President Julius Maada Bio’s pronouncement that this is a year of delivery. He wouldn’t however be drawn as to the Megawatts that would be generated, but on another note, assured that ‘’clean electricity’’ will be in place for Bo and Kenema within the 18 month timeframe.
Luseni also spoke about ongoing efforts by government for district headquarters and other towns to have electricity and cited Kambia, Moyamba , Kailahun, Kabala, Bonthe, Pujehun and Mattru as places already targeted for the initial phase of the electrification that is wholly funded by the government. He said the procurement process has begun for the scheme which has attracted both foreign and local contractors, with the premium on high standards.
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