Chairman of Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security, Dr Kandeh Kolleh Yumkellah, has led a team of administrative and technical officials and experts from the Ministry of Energy and EGTC on a tour of the Dodo Hydroelectric Dam just outside Kenema, eastern Sierra Leone.
The Dodo Hydroelectric Dam has for decades been the reliable turning-to for the provision of electricity for residents of Kenema and Bo during the dry. When he became President in 2018, President Bio made no secret of his intention to give the dam a face-lift, including, but not limited to, upgrading or expansion.
Welcoming the delegation, Paramount Chief of Dodo Chiefdom, PC Alhaji Mohamed Aruna, said his Chiefdom was pleased to have the team on the ground, noting that his people were committed to supporting the government’s efforts and plans to improve the facility. He said they had taken steps to mitigate climate change impacts or hazards.
Chairman Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security, Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkellah, said they were in Dodo on behalf of President Bio to assess the possibility of expanding the dam and to present to him their findings.
“Dodo is very close to the heart of the president. We all know its importance to Bo and Kenema, but if it could be expanded, other areas like Kono would benefit. Any such expansion will also promote industrialization,” he said, adding that feasibility studies and expert engineering reports give credence to the fact that the dam is expandable.
Dr Yumkellah said they wanted to have a firsthand assessment of why there is always a drop in generation in the dry season and to provide an effective climate-proof for the facility. He asked the people to stop cutting down trees and to collaborate with the view to fostering community development.
The Kenema District Council Chairman, Mr. Mohamed Sesay and the Kenema City Mayor, Thomas Baio, could not hide their joy at the prospect of having the facility in their local jurisdiction expanded. They reiterated the joint commitment of the councils to supporting any project aimed at improving social services in the district.
The Electricity Generation and Transmission Company, EGTC, Director General, Milton Ngeba, also spoke at the ceremony.
With the energy sector and the Feed Salone agenda being inextricably linked, reforms continue in the sector.
