Access to Electricity Has Increased From 14.8% to 31% – Deputy Minister of Energy

The Deputy Minister of Energy, Dr. Eldred Taylor has stated that since 2019 to date, the number of people who have access to electricity to the country has increased from 14.8% to 31%.

He made this statement during a public disclosure on the Abbreviated Resettlement Action Plan (ARAP) for the energy utility Reform project Additional Financing (ESURP) that was organized by the Electricity supply and Distribution Authority (EDSA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy with World Bank being the  donor. The disclosure meeting was held at the Women’s Fellowship Hall, CCSL compound King Harman Road, Freetown on Thursday 10^th March 2022.

The Deputy Minister mentioned that ARAP is a project that will transform western area most especially the Rural Part of it. He pleaded with the project Affected persons (PAPs) and all other to embrace and support the project.

The ARAP is an action that specifies the procedures and action to be undertaken in order to reduce adverse effect and compensates looses to person that are affected by the project. The implementation of the benefit of ARAP is to comply with the international practices for resettlement and the world bank Resettlement policy principles.

There are less than 200 persons that are directly affected by the project. However, the project will ensure the supply of power from Kington to Aberdeen, Falcon Bridge to Cline town, Wellington to Jui and Waterloo. Since the project will Affect individuals of the aforementioned communities, each affected person will be compensated with an Account of Le 1,285,378,092.

According to the chairman of the parliamentarian energy committee, Hon. Kekura Vandy, the resettlement activity should be conceived and executed as a sustainable development program that will enable the persons affected by the project to comply with the implementation of the project as it is for the benefit for all.

Awoko Newspaper reports that, Alexandra Nicoles, the project coordinator for EDSA ‘s implementation team stated that the process started in Marchand it is expected to be completed in June 2023. He therefore implored all persons involved to actively work together to achieve a positive result.