By Nasratu Kargbo
Masiaka Town in Koya Chiefdom has for the first time received a "no tax power supply" after the Minister of Energy Alhaji Kanja Sesay switched on the light on the 25th February 2022 during the commissioning of the mini-grid in the community. During the programme, the Minister said the people will enjoy electricity without any tax.
Delivering his keynote address, the Minister told the people that unlike residents in Freetown, General Services Tax (GST) will not be included in the metered tariffs. He explained that it’s the government’s way of helping and supporting the people.
He said Masiaka is very important, in that it is strategically placed and connects many other parts of the country. “I cannot go to my village without passing through Masiaka”, Sesay noted, adding that such a significant place should not be dark.
The Minister stated that if they had to transmit electricity supply from Freetown to Masiaka, it would have taken a long time, so they decided to introduce Mini-grid for the people.
He revealed that due to the success of the mini-grid, other partners like World Bank, the Japanese Government, European Union, and the United States have indicated their desire to further support the initiative that could light up more towns and villages. Sesay stated that when it comes to sharing the benefits of development, they make it a duty to share those benefits in every region.
He advised the people to own the project and that they should take care of the facility. Sesay also spoke on electricity theft and illegal connection and said he would not want to hear of any such report from Masiaka, stating that the fine for such an act is fifty million Leones or five years jail term.
Representing the Minister of Finance Dr. Alhassan Mansaray expressed appreciation for such a development in his hometown. He explained that with the support of the Ministry of Finance, they were able to ensure the provision of affordable power supply for the people, which was why they removed all the taxes involved in electricity.
The Development Director at the British High Commission Kobi Bentley said that the British government had since 2016 provided the sum of thirty-seven million pounds for such a project and that the Masiaka one is the first of its kind in terms of scale and scope in the country.
She explained that the project is to improve the lives of residents in rural communities. Bentley added that the first phase of the programme saw the successful commissioning of fifty-four power plants supplying electricity to community health centres units and many households, businesses, and institutions in those communities.
The Director said in communities that are already powered, they see the drastic improvements in petty businesses, safe delivery, and children now studying and doing their homework, etc. She added that when she visits Masiaka after some months, she hopes to see and hear stories of how helpful the electricity was in changing the lives of people.
The Vice President of Engineering and Co-founder of Power Leone, Joe Philip said they are working in eighty communities and soon hope to reach a hundred.
He told the people that there will be training sessions and a free hotline where they can call and make reports when they experience any difficulty.
Philip said what really makes the difference is the impact that electricity has on people. He observed that before the power, those who usually sell beverages could not make many sales, but with available power, there has been a massive improvement in sales. According to Philip, this provides support to families.
The Member of Parliament for the area, Alimamy Kanu expressed appreciation and appealed that more meters be brought in, noting that the town has more than three thousand households. He also said that more poles should be erected.
A resident and business owner, Aminata Sesay expressed delight for such transformation in Koya, which she believed would help them in different ways.
She mentioned that a place that has light drives away thieves and will improve businesses, ease their children’s studies, and enhance the operations of the health centres and entertainment spots.
The project was funded by the British government in partnership with UNOPS, Power Leone, and the government of Sierra Leone.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (28/02/22)
