Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has said in Freetown that the solar-mini grids operating in the regions are becoming more expensive and he noted that it is unfair for others to do so.
“People in the regions are paying sixty five cents (65 cents) for the solar-mini grids while those in Freetown are paying seventeen cents (17 cents). That is social injustice and it is unacceptable,” president Bio said at a round table conference on energy discussion in Freetown.
He said the government decided to take energy to the regions for people to engage in productive activities not just to “light bulbs” in rooms and verandas but to be able to use it for productive purposes.
And, he said, “We are charging them sixty five cents.”
He said he had informed the Minister of Energy that such a practice by some workers is unacceptable.
The president asked electricity distribution workers that if they really wanted the people in the regions to be part of the process.
“Is this inclusivity in development, No,” he asked.
He accused them of discriminating the people in the regions with reference to the high cost of the solar mini grid.
He encouraged development partners to sit down with the government in order to critically look into this issue, noting that all players in the sector have a critical role to play towards a count down on achieving the global targets set against 2030.
“The government continues to struggle with the sprawling cost of generating and distributing electricity.” He disclosed that the government would continue to pay billions of United States dollars in subsidy to keep electricity running and to make energy affordable, adding that despite those successes they continue to face challenges in the energy sector.
He said government is ready to work with the private sector to invest in the energy sector, adding that they would give more support to the sector so that the people would have access to reliable electricity.
He said the government is concerned about the high cost on paying for the solar mini grids.
He said despite the high cost they are charged, the people are not getting the type of power supply they are paying for.