By Ragan M. Conteh

In the last two weeks, the Ministry of Energy, issued out a press release informing the people of Makeni City of the Bumbuna Hydro which was undergoing through maintenance for ten days.

The said maintenance went for sixteen days which angered residents who have suffered serious setbacks due to lack of electricity supply.

Homes in Makeni that rely on power supply for their daily living through became frustrated and impatient.

One Amidu Tarawally of Rogbaneh Road Makeni, informed this medium that what they experienced in the last three weeks was very disturbing, a situation that forced them to buy mini-generators (locally known as Kabba Tigers).

He said even when they bought these generators fuel unavailability becomes another problem which added more frustration to their existing predicaments.

“The situation in Makeni made us suffered in the last six years of the Bio administration, and is the worst in the history of Sierra Leone.”

“Even during the eleven years rebel war, it cannot suffice because people were already know there was war and they were moving with such difficulties,” Tarawally said.

He maintained that this civilian government has plagued Sierra Leone in total suffering, citing the current excruciating economic situation, the hike of commodities, foreign currencies and above all intimidations and killings, which have become prone on the lives of the vulnerable masses.

What is more heartrending is that, Isatu Kabba, a trader along Kabala Highway in Makeni, explained that things were not only tough but they are killing innocent citizens who are not even politically minded.

She maintained that some of them who are not politicians are the ones suffering the pinch and that the regime has subjected them to become mere beggars.

Kabba spoke on the sixteen days blackout which has resulted to their many home suffering, hunger strike while the patients in hospitals  couldn’t be treated because of the absence of electricity.

She therefore urged authorities of government to dethatch development from politics, adding that Makeni and other neighboring districts have had serious economic crunch.

Sullaman Sankoh, a driver said Makeni suffered heavily from the hands of the regime, from the generator relocation which causes much loss of lives in Makeni and now the blackout has added more serious problems.

Many residents in Makeni especially business owners have lamented on the three-week blackout which has disturbed their daily and night activities and have called on authorities to see Makeni as a city which hosts tens of thousands of investors and humanitarians organizations that are contributing meaningfully for the development of Sierra Leone.

“Politics should not be sledgehammer to hit our daily survival,” they said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Energy reacted that the hydro dam was in routine maintenance and the technical team has restored electricity supply in Makeni city and in Magburaka town.