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A $10 million CLSG rural electrification project intended to power dozens of communities has concluded with the vast majority of its targets still without electricity, according to the 2024 Annual Report from the Auditor General of Sierra Leone.
The project—part of a regional initiative involving Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea—officially ended with 24 of the 29 targeted villages remaining offline. Auditors verified that only five communities are currently connected to the power grid, noting a total lack of progress since previous inspections.
The Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA), which oversaw the implementation, blamed the failure on a technical malfunction.
“The remaining 24 communities cannot be energized due to a fault with the Shield Wire System,” EDSA stated in response to the audit. The agency added that engineers from EDSA, TRANSCO, and CIE are currently investigating repairs. Despite the lack of service, the assets have been transferred to EDSA as “work-in-progress.”
The Auditor General’s office rejected EDSA’s explanation, citing a lack of accountability and planning. The report highlighted several critical concerns:
No Clear Timeline: There is no established roadmap or deadline for when the remaining 24 villages will receive power.
Systemic Inaction: Recommendations to fix these issues were issued in previous audit cycles but remain unaddressed.
Incomplete Oversight: Auditors described the current status of the project as unresolved due to the absence of a credible completion plan.
The audit concluded by urging EDSA to take “concrete steps” to address the failures. The stalled progress represents a significant hurdle for rural development in Sierra Leone, where grid expansion remains a primary challenge despite international funding and regional cooperation.
