Sierra Leone’s Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, has officially opened a solar mini-grid facility in Kalangba Town, taking a significant step toward providing dependable and affordable electricity to hundreds of residents and businesses. This initiative is consistent with President Bio’s vision of increasing access to energy in rural areas.
During the commissioning ceremony, Lokomasama Chiefdom’s Paramount Chief, PC Shebora Raka III, expressed pride in hosting the Vice President and highlighted his strong community ties. Chief Raka praised the government’s efforts to build the facility, emphasizing its potential to improve livelihoods, education, and healthcare in the area.
As he turned on the solar mini-grid, Vice President Jalloh thanked President Bio for his commitment to service delivery. He assured the community that other areas, including Babara, Kalangba Junction, Petifu, and Gbinti, would soon benefit from similar electrification projects. According to Jalloh, over 103 communities in Sierra Leone have been connected to mini-grids, emphasizing the importance of access to electricity, quality education, and effective healthcare.
The Vice President urged locals to take ownership and protect the mini-grid, citing his ties to Lokomasama. Dr Eldred Taylor, Deputy Minister of Energy, praised the community’s assistance in bringing the project to fruition and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to connecting more rural areas to mini-grids. He described the new facility as “durable, dependable, and affordable.”
Emmanuel Harding, Head of Marketing at PowerLeone, assured attendees that the Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) is dedicated to providing quality and affordable services to the community. Emmanuel Junisa, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, gave an overview of the project, and members of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Energy, including Hon. Kekura Vandi and other local MPs, were in attendance to support the initiative.
