by Sierra Leone’s Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay, tendered his resignation on Friday amidst recent disruptions in the country’s electricity supply. The resignation was confirmed by the president’s office, although the specific reasons for Sesay’s decision were not officially disclosed. Despite attempts to reach the energy ministry for comment, there has been no response as of yet.
In response to Sesay’s resignation, the presidency announced that the Ministry of Energy will now fall under the direct supervision of President Julius Maada Bio, who will be supported by two additional officials. This move aims to ensure continuity and effective management within the energy sector.
Sesay’s resignation coincided with the government’s disbursement of $18.5 million to two key power providers, Turkish Karpowership and Transco-CLSG group. Sierra Leone owed these providers a total of $40 million, and the recent payment was crucial for addressing outstanding debts and securing an uninterrupted power supply.
While it remains unclear whether Sesay’s resignation was directly linked to these payments, the timing suggests a potential correlation. Following the announcement of the payments, power was restored in Freetown after experiencing two months of outages. Karpowership, which has been supplying electricity to Sierra Leone since 2018, confirmed the return to full capacity in Freetown following the latest payment announcement.
The situation underscores the importance of stable financial management and effective governance in ensuring essential services such as electricity supply are maintained for the well-being and development of the nation.
