Power is restored to Sierra Leone as the minister quits
Electricity has been reinstated in Sierra Leone after enduring weeks of outages, prompted by the settlement of a portion of its $48 million debt to a Turkish company. The country’s energy minister resigned, shouldering full responsibility for the crisis.
Primarily, power for the capital, Freetown, is supplied by a Turkish vessel stationed off the coast. Last week, Karpowership drastically reduced supply to the city from 60 to 6 megawatts due to unpaid bills, though the issue had persisted for a longer duration.
Main urban centers experienced prolonged blackouts, impacting essential services like hospitals. Tragically, one infant reportedly perished due to the lack of electricity, with medical professionals resorting to mobile phones for illumination during procedures.
Residents, like engineering student Fatmata Gassim, expressed frustration over the inconvenience, questioning how to manage daily tasks like ironing clothes and cooking without power, despite regular payment of electricity bills.
With the resignation of Kanja Sesay, President Julius Maada Bio’s office announced direct presidential supervision over the energy ministry. Karpowership had previously halted supplies in September due to unpaid bills, affecting several African nations.
These floating power plants, such as Karpowership, operate by converting gas into electricity, contributing to national grids.
Although access to electricity has increased in sub-Saharan Africa in recent years, it remains low, with more than 50% of the region’s population having no grid connection, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad).
