‘Freetown is no longer the darkest city in the world’- NPA General Manager
The General Manager of the National Power Authority (NPA), Dr. Ahmed Zubairu Kalokoh (in photo), disclosed at a press conference held at the conference hall of the Ministry of Energy on Friday February 7, 2014 that Freetown is no longer the darkest city in the world.
He accepted that although the electrification that is ongoing in the country is a herculean task, he intimated that barely one month in office he provided electricity for Makeni in conjunction with the Minister of Energy and his team.
He added that prepaid meters will solve a lot of problems as 25,000 prepaid meters are expected to arrive this month.
He stressed that that no country in the world will develop without electricity as electricity is the engine that moves any economy.
He maintained that when President Ernest Bai Koroma promised to bring electricity in 2007 he was able to install 15 Megawatts, adding that Freetown has never being without electricity for a single day.
He pointed out that as at now they are load shedding in the west, east and central parts of Freetown and people should try to understand and bear with them.
“With all these good works we are still not giving credits as our workers have died just to provide electricity for our customers,” Dr. Kaloko stressed.
He noted that the customer is the boss and that they are making concerted efforts to make sure that the people get electricity for which they are paying.
In his comments, the Director of Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection, Mr. John Jabbati, disclosed that nuclear technology is expanding in Sierra Leone which therefore makes it a compelling need to bring all of the materials and sources under control.
He explained that an Integrated Review Service Mission in 2008 reviewed the 2001 Act and found it to be inconsistent in many areas with the requirements of the basic safety standards and other international requirements and recommended that the Act be reviewed to make it compatible with prevailing trends.
He disclosed that Government then reviewed and repealed the 2001 Act and enacted the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Act 2012.
“Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority is involved in adequate regulation control of nuclear sources by registering sources during the normal safety assessment inspections of radiation and nuclear facilities, “ he intimated. “Enforcement actions including suspension of license, closure of facility, confiscation of source, prosecution etc. are instituted against violators of the legal and regulatory requirements, he concluded.
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