By Politico staff writer
The Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay, has symbolically erected the first electricity pole to connect the district to the CLSG interconnections power line and assured the people of the diamond-rich district of plans to enable them to access an uninterrupted electricity supply.
Speaking at the ceremony held on the 1st February 2022, Paramount Chief of Nimikoro Chiefdom, PC Aiah Dante Bona, said they were already feeling the prospects of enjoying sustainable and quality electricity in the district.
Giving an overview of the purpose of the visit, Director General of EGTC, Ing. Milton Ngebai, said they were in Kono to assure the people of plans to connect the district to the CLSG interconnections, stressing that the contract which had already been awarded to a renowned energy company was going to be completed within two months.
While delivering his keynote address, the Energy Minister said the high-level representation to the district was indicative of the attention that President Julius Maada Bio had given to Kono, adding that the President had asked him to convey his appreciation to the people of Kono for their patience for sustainable electricity. He said everybody was aware of the challenging electricity situation in the district.
Minister Sesay said Kono was only enjoying 10 hours of electricity out of the expected 24 hours a day, stressing that that ugly situation would soon give way to a sustainable 24-hour supply of electricity.
He said Bo and Kenema were now having reliable, sustainable, and quality electricity courtesy of the TRANSCO CLSG facility and assured that it was now the turn of Kono to benefit from the same.
In his statement, the former Ambassador to China, Ambassador S.E. Johnny, praised the Minister for his leadership, adding that he had made an immaculate name and reputation for himself within the matrix of national development.
He noted the critical social, economic and industrial importance of electricity and assured that Kono was ready to reciprocate the development strides of President Bio in the district at the 2023 polls.
The district is among places to benefit from the West Africa Power Pool Project that is aimed to provide electricity to the four Mano River Union countries of Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Guinea. When completed, it will bring reliable and affordable electricity to the countries which have had a perennial problem with electricity, especially outside their Capitals. There are five substations in Sierra Leone one each in Kenema, Kono, Bumbuna, Fadugu (Yiben), and Kamakwie. The substation in Kenema was commissioned last December by President Bio to supply electricity to places in the South and Eastern regions of the country.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (02/02/22)
