By Alpha Abu
The planned electrification of the Freetown Peninsula received a significant boost following the signing of Exchange of Notes between the Governments of Japan and Sierra Leone that would see US $15 Million Japanese Grant support going into the project.
Sierra Leone’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Mamadi Ngobeh Kamara and the Japanese Ambassador to Sierra Leone Mochizuki Hisanobu exercised the formalities at the foreign ministry in Freetown on Monday this week.
The deputy minister in addressing the gathering that also comprised a large Japanese delegation and local foreign ministry officials spoke about Japan’s continued support to Sierra Leone over the years, following the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1961.
Ambassador Mochizuki in his reaction said the energy sector remains a priority area of his country’s support to Sierra Leone.
He said they remain supportive of the Sierra Leone government’s ‘’road map to increase energy access and improve service delivery and was hopeful that the energy project ‘’will contribute significantly to people’s access to electricity in the Freetown Peninsula thus helping realize the country’s policy road and economic development’’.
He said they expect the Ministry of Energy and the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) to galvanise all the necessary stakeholders to make sure the project is successfully completed.
He used the opportunity to highlight Japanese concern about the impact Covid and the Ukraine/Russia war have had on the continent of Africa and the need to take steps to accelerate further strengthening of bilateral relations including the enhancement of trade and investment from Japan to Sierra Leone.
Chief Minister in the Office of the President, Jacob Jusu Saffa mentioned some of the key projects undertaken under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) such as construction of the Sumbuya bridge, the Sierra Tropical Pineapple farm and green growth. He said Japan’s desire to help the country is in line with President Julius Maada Bio’s human capital development
A statement from the Embassy of Japan to Sierra Leone says:’’The objective of the project is to expand and stabilise the power supply in the southwestern part of the Freetown Peninsula and also strengthen the basic infrastructure’’, of the country.
According to the Japanese, ‘’the project (Freetown peninsula electrification) will build on the upgrade of the northern and northwestern power grid which was funded by the government of japan in 2008 and between 2012 to 2017..’’.
The project will ensure the construction of transmission line covering some 46Km, and also construction of buildings and substations and distribution lines.
Copyright © 2022 Politico (21/12/22)
