THIS WEEK WITH PRESIDENT BIO’s DEVELOPMENT AGENDA

By Ishmael Bayoh

This week’s highlight is where President Bio unveiled one of the largest mining companies, Leone Rock Metal Group and inaugurated a 12 million-ton mineral processing plant at the Tonkolili Mine site, north of the country. This plant is capable of processing millions of tons annually and marks a significant advancement in refining ore into a substantial iron concentrate.

Also, the Chief Minister’s visit to the U.S.A where he led a delegation to attend the U. S -Africa Business Summit In Dallas, Texas, an engagement with the President of the MCC at the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

This Week With President Bio’s Development Agenda also brings to you some of the developments taking place from May 4 to May 10, 2024. Have a nice weekend !.

▪️The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation’s (DFC) Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) Nisha Biswal and the Chief Minister of Sierra Leone Dr. David Moinina Sengeh on Thursday 8 May announced up to $412 million in financing and political risk insurance in support of Sierra Leone’s plans to address energy and expand its power system through renewable energy solutions in the future.

▪️DFC also approved a new loan of up to $292 million to the Freetown-based Western Area Power Generation Project to help develop and upgrade the power plant’s infrastructure, promoting reliable access to power throughout Sierra Leone.

▪️DFC will also provide up to $120 million in political risk insurance to crowd-in private investment. The financing package is bolstered by a $40 million loan from ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID).

▪️Sierra Leone delegation led by the Minister of Finance on have concluded negotiations with the MCC in Washington DC for a total of US$494 million Compact. The investments will focus on the foundational infrastructure improvements in the energy sector to build the transmission backbone, distribution and access network and deepen power sector reforms to strengthen the financial sustainability of EDSA, EGTC and EWRC. Part of the negotiation team were the the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Minister of State, Office of the Vice President, Deputy Minister of Energy 1, National Coordinator, Sierra Leone Compact Development Unit.

▪️History was made in Sierra Leone on May 5 in Kono where 146 students at the Kono University of Science and Technology matriculated. President Bio’s promise for Kono to have a science university has been actualized. The establishment of additional universities is not only a way to provide opportunities to disadvantaged districts and communities, but it is also a way to cater to the large number of further students that are emerging as a product of government’s Free Quality School Education initiative.

▪️Through the support of the African Development Bank with a consulting service from WAVTEQ, the Sierra Leone Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SLIEPA) and the National Investment Board (NIB) facilitated the coming of 8 Nigerian companies from May 5 to May 8, with interests covering agribusiness, manufacturing, Small and Medium-size Enterprises (SME) Development, Financing, value addition. Government’s readiness to promote trade and attract investors to enhance a prosperous livelihood is underscored by the country’s growing investment opportunities in different sectors especially in agriculture.

▪️Connaught Hospital and major health facilities in the country will now use innovation by Using Digital Health that will see them transition from paper to electronic based records system. Already, a digital health dissemination meeting was held with key medical staff of major hospitals in Freetown to talk about viable rollout plans.

▪️On Monday 6 May, the Hon. Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh launched the Sierra Leone Human Capital Development Coordination Framework. This framework will help strengthen coordination and coherence, and also leverage data and technology. In the People’s Manifesto of President Bio, it places the importance of human capital development believing firmly that Sierra Leoneans should be at the centre of the country’s development.

▪️The Chairman of the Special Initiative for Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security, Hon. Dr. Kandeh Yumkella on May 8 held a meeting with the EU Energy team on the implementation of the EU-funded minigrids expansion program that aims to benefit morethan 50 communities.

▪️Also Dr. Yumkella discussed energy crisis and solutions for sustainable energy production in Sierra Leone and worldwide with a delegation from Iceland. The delegation looks forward to explore cooperation with Sierra Leone in clean cooking and women’s employment.

▪️Fresh from Harvard, The ACC Boss Francis Ben Kaifala Esq. on Friday 10th May, was elected as the West Africa Sub-Regional Representative of the Association of Heads of Anti-Corruption Institutions in Commmonwealth Africa. His election took place in Accra, Ghana, at the 14th Regional Conference for Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Africa.