By:Austine Luseni
Communications Specialist
Ministry of Energy
Contact: 077377042/034157390
Conference Room,Ministry of Energy,Freetown,Friday October 29,2021———- Deputy Minister of Energy, Dr.Eldred Taylor, has on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone signed an agreement with 3ETAP Energy Construction Industry for the design, supply and installation of 11/0.4KV distribution network and customer connections in Freetown.
The Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Energy had secured a World Bank grant under the Enhancing Sierra Leone Energy Access Project,part of which it hopes to use to provide citizens with better and reliable electricity supply in line with the manifesto commitments of President Julius Maada Bio.
Speaking at the signing ceremony,Deputy Minister of Energy,Dr.Eldred Taylor,described the day as a very important one particularly for the people of Waterloo and its environs,adding that with the design and installation of the distribution network,the electricity woes of residents of rural Freetown would be a thing of the past .
Dr. Taylor recalled the visit President Julius Maada Bio made to Washington in 2019 during which time the project under review was conceived,adding that a huge sum of money in grant was set aside as a result of the appeal made by the President to the World Bank in respect of improving access to energy in Sierra Leone.
He said the project was a very big project for the people of the Western Area as it would positively impact the access to energy drive in areas like Waterloo,Jui and Aberdeen.
Dr.Taylor said the project was the third component of a package government sought three years ago,noting that it would cover sixty-nine (69) new or unserved communities.
Highlighting the components and magnitude of the project,the Deputy Minister of Energy said the project would install over two hundred (200)distribution substations with specific reference to huge capacity transformers,some twelve thousand (12,000) wooden poles,and one hundred and fifty (150) kilometers and five hundred (500) kilometers of 11KV overhead lines and low voltage lines in that order.
He concluded by assuring residents of rural Freetown that government was more than committed to solving their electricity problems. He also assured the contractors that the doors of the Ministry of Energy would always be open to them,while admonishing them to ensure that quality materials were used and the project was completed on time.
Acting Director General of EDSA, Ing. James Rogers,said the importance of the project could not be overemphasized,stressing with a strategic project like the one they were signing,time was of the essence. He bemoaned the power deficiency in the country but praised development partners for their unrelenting support to the energy sector.
A representative of the company,Ali Abou Hamdan, said his company was well appointed in their quest to successfully implement the project,noting that the company would do everything possible to complete the project within its 18 months stipulated timeframe.
The energy sector reforms continue.
