Energy shortage: Minister of Power resigns in Sierra Leone
By Samuel Ogunsona
The Minister of Energy in Sierra Leone has resigned.
The Minister left the Government in response to continuous electricity crisis in the West African country.
The Sierra Leone’s Minister of Energy, Kanja Sesay said he could not continue with the Government having failed to provide electricity for the people.
Just like in Nigeria, Sierra Leone has been without steady supply of electricity for months.
Apart from Freetown, the capital, other key cities without light were Bo, Kenema and Koidu.
Reports monitored by Irohinodua indicated that Sesay said he took full responsibility for the crisis.
In response, the government transfered energy management to the President Julius Maada Bio.
He is expected to be assisted by other Ministers.
who will be assisted by two other officials
The Government of Sierra Leone once paid $18.5 million to two power providers, Turkish Karpowership and Transco-CLSG group.
Sierra Leone is currently indebted to the tune of $40 million being debt owned energy producers.
Karpowership in a statement said
“We are pleased to confirm that the electricity supply has returned to full capacity in Freetown,” the statement reads.
About 27.5 percent of the total population and about 4.9 percent of the rural population have access to electricity,h as of 2021. The power sector is small, with less than 150 MW of energy capacity connecting more than
