By Prince J Musa in Kenema
Bo and Kenema are set for massive electricity network expansion in preparation for the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP) project. Last week the Minister of Energy, Kanja Sesay led a team to deliver 16 truckloads of wooden electrical poles for both districts. The Minister said the project was part of President Julius Maada Bio’s promise to end the challenge of electricity across the country.
He said the electricity generation and supply power would be coming from Ivory Coast to Sierra Leone through Liberia, and would continue to Guinea. He said: “it is part of President Bio’s promise to solve electricity problems in Bo and Kenema”.
Speaking about the progress of the WAPP project, Sesay said “the construction of transmission stations has been completed and the cables and transformers will soon arrive.”
The Minister also promised a complete overhaul of the network saying: “We are going to replace the old transmission cables with entirely new ones”.
Like many other districts in the country, Bo and Kenema still struggle to get sustainable electricity supply. Power transmission has been low whiles the supply network is old and fragile.
At a ceremony in Kenema where the Minister was addressing district stakeholders, he promised that despite the WAPP project bringing electricity, the government would still invest in maintaining the Dodo hydro power plant.
The dam supplies electricity in both districts during the rains. But the lack of proper maintenance has meant the dam has struggled to operate in full capacity.
“Lack of maintenance of Dodo dam has led to the poor power system for Bo and Kenema. Government is working on strategies to rehabilitate the dam which will help to expand the supply of electricity to other parts of the country,” Sesay said.
He said they would use locals to erect the poles across the district, so they could earn some money.
Resident Minister of the East, Andrew Ansu Fatorma thanked the government for its effort. He said massive electrification of the district would attract more companies to the district.
“Sustainable light will attract more companies to come and invest in this country. Development of any nation will not progress without sustainable electricity,” Fatorma said.
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