By Alpha Abu
More than two weeks of unprecedented turmoil in the energy sector ended on Friday 26th April with the resignation of Alhaji Dr. Kanja Sesay, an SLPP strong man and long-term ally of President Julius Maada Bio.
Freetown and provincial headquarter towns were thrown into blackout when Turkish company, Karpower shut down its service for non-payment of a significant amount of money by the government. This action was followed by a similar one by TRANSCO-CLSG in the Ivory Coast, which serves mainly areas outside Freetown.
In the afternoon, the Ministry of Finance released a statement to announce that following negotiations with Karpower, it had paid 17m US dollars to the company “to reduce outstanding obligations”. The ministry also announced that it had paid 1.5m US dollars to TRANSCO-CLSG so they can continue supplying power.
In the same press release the ministry indicated that it would “renegotiate the current contracts to ensure a sustainable and reliable energy supply”, and promised to “roll out reforms that will ensure the financial viability of the energy sector”. The statement gave no details about the plan.
Late on Friday, State House issued a statement saying that “with immediate effect, the ministry of energy will be under the direct ministerial supervision…” of president Bio and informed the public of the appointment of a second deputy minister to join Dr. Eldred Tunde Taylor who served with Alhaji Dr. Kanja Sesay.
This ministerial resignation came as the nation was getting to terms with the departure of another strong member of Bio’s inner circle, Dr. Abass Bundu from his post as Speaker of Parliament, citing health reasons.
Dr. Kanja Sesay rose to prominence in public service when he was appointed by late President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah to manage the National Commission for Resettlement, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation in the post-war years. The commission was later transformed into the National Commission for Social Commission which Kanja Sesay headed in the second and final term of Kabbah's presidency.
When the SLPP lost power in 2007 Dr. Sesay went into private business but remained an active member of the party and a staunch supporter of Bio during the tumultuous leadership struggles within the party.
The energy ministry has always been an embattled sector with successive government’s struggling to provide sustainable power supply in the country. Under Dr. Kanja Sesay significant efforts were made to transform and expand energy access across Sierra Leone.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (29/04/24)
