President Ernest Bai Koroma has commissioned Income Electrix’s 10 mega watts thermal plant at the Blackhall Road power station.
The 10 mega watts will supply from the East End Police unto Waterloo.
President Koroma recalled that on 5th October while addressing parliament he made the pronouncement that electricity would be his first priority.
He explained that he gave priority to electricity because if there was no electricity the economy, hospitals, and schools would not run efficiently.
The head of state maintained that, “within the next six months we will forget about electricity and will move into new developmental issues”.
Dr Koroma disclosed that when he took over office he inherited seven mega watts of electricity supply but with his fortitude Freetown now had 32 mega watts of electricity supply, adding that energy requirements for the Freetown was 60 mega watts.
“This is a sign that better days will come to this country”, he said, noting that “this 32 mega watts would make people have access to electricity either in the day or night”. The smiling president vowed that he would change this. He pointed out that, “I have determination to move Sierra Leone and nobody will stand on the way for the country not to progress, adding further that after Freetown “we will go to the provinces”.
President Koroma thanked Income Electrix for showing some amount of flexibility. “This is just the beginning of achievement that will be of benefits to this country,” he noted, adding that “Income Electrix has done its own, it remains us to do our own part”.
Addressing workers of the National Power Authority (NPA), President Koroma admonished them to distribute the supply of electricity well and derive money from the bills from customers and make sure that customers got correct bills.
He urged them to be responsible and pay their bills, adding that people were in the habit of having illegal connections and continue to steal cables and sell it for their private benefit.
In her statement Haja Afsatu Kabba, the minister of Energy and Power, said her ministry had work assiduously with the Presidential Energy Task Force and other stakeholders to fulfill President Koroma’s promise of restoration of electricity supply.
She added that with mandate from the president “we wasted no time to engage the private sector (Income Electrix) with new machines of restoring electricity to the people.
The Energy and Power minister noted that Income Electrix was the first to enter the country with their machines which showed commitment and love for Sierra Leone.
Haja Afsatu Kabba disclosed that President Koroma made provision for the completion of the Bumbuna hydro project.
Dr Zubairu Kaloko, the general manager of NPA, commended Income Electrix for fulfilling President Koroma’s dream for the country.
Dr Lancelot Ayo Lake, chairman of the Presidential Energy Task Force, appealed to consumers to pay their bills and stop illegal connection and stop destroying NPA cables.
He maintained that the government spent huge sum of money to buy cables whilst some enemy of progress stole the cables, adding that those stealing the cables were depriving people who were ready to pay their bills.
By Abibatu Kamara