By Politico staff writer
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay together with senior administrative and professional officials of his Ministry were in Ghana last week to seek partnership with PREFOS Limited, a solar street lights manufacturing company with headquarters in the city of Kumasi.
The visits according to a report by the Ministry’s Communications expert Austine Luseni was facilitated by the special Envoy for Trade and Investment in the Office of the President of Sierra Leone, Allie Turay after the invitation by the host company in Ghana.
PREFOS Ltd. was established in 1991 and has carved a brand name and reputation for itself in the business of solar street lights in not only Ghana but in the sub region.
Speaking at the experience sharing and interactive session at PREFOS’ headquarters in Kumasi, Alhaji Kanja Sesay said his team was honoured and privileged to have received such an invitation from PREFOS Ltd., adding that the team already knew that Ghana had made considerable progress in the area of providing street lights for her people.
He added that Sierra Leone was keen on replicating or adopting the Ghana model, noting that it was in that regard that he had accepted the invitation from the company to travel to Ghana with a view to having a first-hand impression of PREFOS’ works and products and to forge partnerships.
The Minister of Energy said that Sierra Leone was still importing street lights which he said had some serious associated costs and quality assurance issues. He said he felt very proud as a West African to learn that there was such an impressive solar energy facility in Ghana which could prove so useful to the sub region.
Minister Sesay recalled how the government of President Julius Maada Bio inherited a weak street lights system which had occasioned some serious nighttime inconveniences on particularly users of the renowned Lumley Beach. He said on the instruction of President Bio, he had since lit up the beach with street lights to the delight and acclamation of tourists and citizens.
Chief Executive Officer of PREFOS Ltd.,Alexie K.Fosu, said he was looking forward to establishing a good and sustainable partnership with Sierra Leone while assuring also that his company would always keep its doors open to Sierra Leone.
PREFOS’ Kumasi Branch Manager,Frank Agyemang, said the factory at Kumasi had a warehouse, an assembly room, a training school and administrative rooms and showrooms. He spoke about areas where solar street lights were being deployed or used in Ghana, including highways, airports, promenades in cities, beaches and other public places.
It is hoped that the experience the team would gain from the visit would be used to positively bring to bear on Sierra Leone’s current solar energy drive.
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