We want to transform our energy sector - Sierra Leone Vice President

We are ready to guide you, GRIDCo to Mohamed J. Jalloh

Sierra Leone Vice President, delegate tour GRIDCo smelter II, SCC

Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, led a delegation to engage management of the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) on Ghana's impressive turnaround with respect to the management of power in the country.

According to him, his government is ready to learn from Ghana on how it managed some of the challenges in the energy sector, as well as, how to stabilize it.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra, the Vice President of Sierra Leone explained that the call on the Ghanaian government and Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) is to help them transform their energy sector.

He added that when this mission is accomplished, their country will also attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and will also boost their economy.

Dr. Jalloh said even though his government is trying its best to transform the energy sector, more work needs to be done.

“We are in Ghana to engage with colleagues, particularly colleagues that are within the generation of the distribution supply chain of electricity. A couple of years ago, when we assumed power in 2018, one of the key sectors that the Sierra Leone government wanted to transform was the energy sector... As a government that wants to open up its sectors, country, attract Foreign Direct Investment, boost the productive sector, it is but very important that we focus and invest enormously in the energy sector. We have been doing that progressively under the leadership of the energy minister."

"When we came in, the energy level in Sierra Leone was 16%, today, 3 years down the line, we are 31% down the line and we know that we still need to do more...we are eligible for a compact in 2020 and we realised that Ghana is in the second compact so we are in Ghana to share experiences with our Ghanaian colleagues particularly in the energy sector. We are here to learn from some of the excellent work you have been doing and also to take cognisance of the challenges and how you managed to some of those challenges," he added.

Chief Executive Officer of GRIDCo, Dr Ebenezer Essienyi, on his part, said his outfit is ready to assist and guide the Sierra Leonean delegation to learn in the energy sector.

He assured them of bringing to bear the challenges they faced, how they resolved the situation and how to maintain their grids for a stabilized energy sector.

“It’s much pleasure to welcome you for us to engage on ways and means for Sierra Leone to learn the lessons that we have gone through in our power sector so that you don’t make the mistakes we did. We are ready to guide you in any aspect of our works. The traps that we fell in, what we learnt and what we must do going forward. Then also, based on our knowledge of the industry for you, based on the transco CLG project and the need for you to acquire the knowledge in terms of planning, maintenance, we are ready. You just need to call upon us and we will gladly come and assist your team in setting things up,” he stated.

The Sierra Leone Vice President, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, and his delegation took a tour of some of GRIDCo's facilities to acquaint themselves with its operations.