Minister Of Energy For Sierra Leone Resigns After Protracted Power Outage

Kanja Sesay

A protracted electrical problem prompts the resignation of Sierra Leone's energy minister.

Kanja Sesay, the Minister of Energy for Sierra Leone, resigned from his post due to an extended power outage.

Sesay submitted his resignation in a letter dated Friday, April 26, acknowledging his complete acceptance of responsibility for the ongoing situation, following weeks of power outages that plagued many major cities.

The administration moved quickly after he resigned, declaring that President Julius Maada Bio would now be directly in charge of the Energy Ministry.

Despite this, the President has two new appointees to help him handle the urgent energy-related issues the country faces.

The government's decision to give up control over the energy portfolio followed a financial deal in which it paid $18.5 million to Turkish Karpowership and Transco-CLSG group, two significant power providers.

The government recently paid $18.5 million to Turkish Karpowership and Transco-CLSG company, two significant power producers, which coincided with the decision to give over control of the energy portfolio.

This payment represented a portion of the $40 million in unpaid debt that Sierra Leone owed these vendors.

The capital city of Freetown had power restored nearly immediately following the announcement, indicating that the payment had an almost immediate effect.

Nevertheless, Freetown and the cities of Bo, Kenema, and Koidu have gone for days at a time without electricity before this intervention.

Karpowership released a statement confirming that the payment had been received and expressing pleasure with the outcome. Due to financial difficulties, the company, which has been supplying energy to Sierra Leone through a floating offshore unit since 2018, was obliged to significantly restrict its capacity in recent months.

Karpowership produced 65 megawatts of electricity at its maximum; however, this had decreased to just five megawatts before payment conflicts were settled.

Karpowership has previously encountered difficulties with unpaid invoices from countries in West Africa.

Similar payment problems led to the business stopping to supply electricity to Sierra Leone in September.