By Bobor Dan Kamara
President Bio joined the Millinium Challenge Corporation (MCC) on Friday 27th September 2024 to sign a landmark $480 million Energy Compact for Sierra Leone.
Signed at the MCC’s Washington Headquarters, the iconic single-sector Energy Compact is aimed at transforming investments that will expand and strengthen the national transmission backbone, increase access to electricity in major towns and improve the sector’s financial viability through governance reforms and institutional strengthening.
According to a release issued out by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education on Friday, the $480 million hinges on the 2016 MCC funded $44.4 million threshold programme which uplift Sierra Leone strides in improving water and electricity services.
At the signing ceremony, President Bio expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the commitment of the United States of America for their unflinching support to Sierra Leone progress.
“The MCC compact is a testament of the two sisters’ nation commitment to promoting Democracy and good governance, to drive the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to mitigate poverty.
The Energy Compact is said to benefit 4 million Sierra Leoneans and will create opportunities for economic development by opening the space for availability of affordable and reliable electricity for households, businesses, and social institutions,” the release read.
It went on to state that “the historic signing affirmed President Bio and Sierra Leone’s unrelented values as demonstrated by the advancement of electoral reforms, the passing of landmark laws to empower and protect the right of women and girls and the implementation of the Free Quality Education (FQE) programme and among others”.
The signing signifies and strengthens the partnership and economic corporation between the government of Sierra Leone and the US.
Reports say the Sierra Leone Government will contribute $14 million towards the MCC Compact.
As the news spreads, some members of the public are of the opinion that the said money should be utilised for its intended purpose to attract bigger grants.
