On the 26th of April, the Ministry of Finance announced that a partial payment of outstanding fees for the supply of electricity to Freetown and its surrounding areas, amounting to $17 million, had been made to Karpowership. Karpowership is an independent power producer and one of two IPPs, with them being the primary supplier.
This payment was made after Karpowership failed to supply electricity due to unheeded warnings regarding payment, fulfilling the government's obligation to them.
On that same day, the Energy Minister Kanja Sesay resigned, leaving a vacant position supervised by President Bio, assisted by two Deputy Ministers. Despite these changes, the electricity supply remains sporadic, with fluctuating power supply that appears to have no discernible pattern to it.
During the press briefing held at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education on the 30th of April 2024, Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh expressed growing concern over power outages in the country despite the government's efforts to expand the energy sector.
This included the installation of upgraded equipment in four new districts, namely Kambia, Moyamba, Pujehun, and Kerene. The Chief Minister presented the challenges and efforts being implemented to ultimately provide electricity but concluded by stating that the situation was without a solution given the supply and the nation's ability to process it.
This worrying development has significantly angered citizens who believed that the lack of energy supply was primarily a financial issue, which had seemed surmountable and resolved with the announcement of a disbursed lump sum that whittled away the debt.
This issue has been ongoing for months now and is being compared to the early days after the war, with no discernible infrastructure or hope looming in sight.