By Austine Luseni
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Energy, Alhaji Dr. Kanja Sesay, has said that his Ministry was committed to charting a course towards a sustainable, resilient, and energy-efficient future for Sierra Leone.
Dr. Sesay was speaking at the First National Climate Resilience and Energy Transition Dialogue on the theme “Developing a Just and Inclusive Energy Transition Plan for Sierra Leone in the Context of Climate Resilience and Food Systems Transformation.”
“Our objectives are clear.. This is not just a national mission; it is our moral duty to address the intertwined challenges of climate change, low energy access, subsistence agriculture, unemployment, and high levels of poverty,” he said, adding that the energy sector had a pivotal enabling role to play in achieving these objectives.
The Minister of Energy said that the reliability of the country’s energy supply was crucial to its growth and development, noting that while renewable energy sources were vital for the reduction in carbon footprint and the increase in energy access, the country must also ensure a stable, consistent supply of power to meet the increasing energy demands of its growing economy.
He said it was with a view to addressing this need that the Ministry of Energy had developed a multi-pronged approach, including diversification of energy sources, investment in modern infrastructure, engagement with international partners, and capacity building.
“But our approach to energy transition and transformation does not stop at the need for baseload power. We also recognize the imperative to increase the efficiency of utilities, and we understand that private sector intervention can be a powerful catalyst in achieving this goal,” Dr. Sesay said, noting further that public-private partnerships, regulatory frameworks, technology integration, and customer-centric services were some of the strategies that had been devised and implemented to help enhance utility efficiency.
The Minister of Energy concluded by saying that the success of the dialogue could be driven by the collaboration of all stakeholders, adding that they as stakeholders should remain committed to a just and inclusive transition that ensures the benefits of the efforts of all were shared by all.
The energy sector reforms continue.
