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Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security (PI-CREF) and the Energy Governance Coordination Group (EGCG), led a delegation of senior officials from the Ministry of Energy (MoE), the Electricity Distribution and Supply Agency (EDSA), and PI-CREF on a site visit to support the development of a 50 MW solar project in Bumpe, Nimikoro Chiefdom, Kono District.
The visit provided an opportunity for the government to demonstrate strong support for Hecate Global Renewables and Africa 50’s efforts. The future solar photovoltaic (PV) project will include a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and associated electrical infrastructure. It aims to inject power into the Binkongor Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea (CLSG) substation, located less than 500 meters north of the proposed site.
The event was attended by section chiefs, local authorities, and residents from the 166 villages and towns that comprise the chiefdom. PC Dr. Aiah Denton Bona Formansan III warmly welcomed the visiting delegation, noting that Hecate Global Renewables is familiar with the chiefdom and its activities.
He expressed optimism for concrete actions that would benefit the community and welcomed Dr. Yumkella, whom he described as a descendant of the chiefdom and the son of a chief.
“We are here to ensure we fulfill the President’s instructions and understand the next steps to fast-track the implementation of this project,” said Dr. Yumkella.
He recounted various meetings with Africa 50 CEO Alain Ebobisse, including discussions at the Clean Cooking Summit in Paris, the OPEC Fund Investment Summit, and most recently, during the Mission 300 meetings in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
These meetings have culminated in today’s visit, which aims to establish concrete next steps toward financial closure and groundbreaking for the project. “Our role is to break barriers and expedite progress,” he affirmed. Dr. Yumkella urged the people of Bumpe to take ownership of and protect the electricity infrastructure in Kono and all future projects.
Representatives from both organizations, Bulelwa Ntshingwa, Business Development Africa for HGR, and Rami Belaid, Senior Investment Associate at Africa 50, emphasized their institutions’ strong commitment to completing the project. They aim to support Sierra Leone’s efforts to increase electricity generation and access, thereby spurring economic growth and development.
