The Deputy Minister of Energy 2 designate, Dr. Rahim Jalloh, and the Project Coordinator at the Ministry of Energy, Cyril Grant, have reacted to the updates provided by the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party during its monthly press conference held on 5th March, 2025.
Reacting to the main opposition Whip, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara's claims with respect to the rumoured termination of the Bumbuna Project on grounds of project costs, tariffs, and development expenses, Dr. Jalloh described the reasoning as baseless and unsubstantiated.
He said it was ridiculous for Hon. Abdul Karim to even imagine, let alone say that the SLPP Government had terminated the contract with Seli because Bumbuna is in the north of the country.
Dr. Rahim Jalloh catalogued a number of transformative projects, including the CLSG substations at Kamakwei and Fadugu and rural electrification projects that the SLPP Government has implemented in the north.
He said the costs of the project, tariffs and development expenses proposed by Seli Hydro were unreasonably and ridiculously high, adding that the government was well-advised in its dealings with Seli.
Dr. Jalloh shed light on efforts at re-operationalizing thermal plants at Kingtom and Blackhall Road to boost electricity supply to the capital city, the operations of mini grids with respect to affordable tariffs and accessibility, and government's quest to have a financially prudent agreement with the Karpowership.
Project Coordinator at the Ministry of Energy, Ing. Cyril Grant, who has served as Project Coordinator for Bumbuna Phase ll, said there were certain concerns that government had about the Bumbuna project, adding that upon review of the project documents, the government necessarily felt uncomfortable and was compelled to take a nationalistic stance.
He said the Bumbuna Phase ll project would have been the most expensive hydropower project in the world, stating further that Seli had wanted to build the tunnels first without the guarantee of building the reservoir.
"Seli did not make front door attempts, but made numerous back door attempts to have the project built. We, however, always opposed those attempts because we never wanted to shortchange the people of Sierra Leone," he said.
Ing. Grant maintained that it was Seli's decision to sever ties with the government when they asked the latter to pay them in excess of US$90 million for development costs.
"We have not terminated the agreement. They were supposed to go to the Court of Arbitration.
There is a whole sequence in terms of notification and processes for that," he maintained.
Ing. Grant also dismissed Hon. Mahmoud Kamara's weird claims that government has deliberately abandoned ADAX as shameful and disingenuous.
"ADAX cannot even produce 1MW for their operations. They are sourcing electricity from EDSA. How can they have 32MW lying fallow? This claim by the opposition is utterly ludicrous," he said.
The Project Coordinator furthered that ADAX (now SUNBIRD) relies on sugar cane in the form of biomass to generate power, adding that the paucity of sugar cane has severely hampered effective operations at its sites, forcing them to source electricity from the 161 line.
On allegations of EDSA having about 80% of volunteer staff, Dr. Joe Lahai said, "There are interns. But we do not have volunteer staff."
With the energy sector and the Feed Salone agenda being inextricably linked, reforms continue in the sector.
Credit: Austine Luseni Communications Specialist Ministry of Energy