NPA General Manager

TRACE’s journey to Freetown from Bo was full of fun. Happily TRACE made it to Freetown. As soon as it  entered Freetown TRACE was stuck in traffic for over two hours in the city centre on its way to Bo. To the glory of God TRACE got a smooth ride in the city centre. When TRACE reached home the first welcome it  got was that of non electricity. TRACE was expecting electricity more especially when it was Sunday evening but that welcome which it received made it to feel flabbergasted.

An hour of TRACE  returned, TRACE’s fiancée paid a visit.  When she entered, her first question was “Don’t you have light?” TRACE was thinking what to say and at the same time stirring at her, “You seem very hot and tired?” she continued. “This is what I met. What is the problem with the light these days?” Trace asked. Mama as Trace used to call her was quick to respond to that question “I should ask you that question because your work gives you the power to know more than I do when it comes to the running of government.” I told her that I would investigate first thing in the morning and would tell her what the problem is. “No problem,” she replied. TRACE spent the night uncomfortably. The heat was like someone that was close to a fire.

TRACE passed the night by the grace of God, soon day break. TRACE first interview was done at the National Power Authority (NPA). Climbing the steps of NPA, TRACE was thinking what the response of their Public Relations Office (PRO) would be. TRACE finally made it on to the fourth floor of the NPA building straight to the office of the PRO Victor Wilson Clarke. TRACE’s conversation with the PRO cleared many rumors that were spreading around. But the most disturbing thing TRACE discovered from the PRO was the shutting down of the almighty Bumbuna on May 10 this year. If it happens it will be the second time in one year Bumbuna is shutting down according to record.

“It was first shut down in February. The May 10th shut down will cost NPA Le 7 billion to help sustain the Kingtom plant until Bumbuna comes on again.” Mr. Clarke told TRACE.

This now was TRACE concern. “Bumbuna is currently supplying 7 mega watts in Freetown which is far from its original 18 mega watts, due to the drop in the water level and NPA is paying Le 1 billion weekly to Bumbuna despite their output to NPA,” he told TRACE.

This was a bit disturbing how NPA pays such amount of money with no condition. Could it be that some one is benefiting from such plan. Its reminded TRACE of a sayings give unto Ceaser what belong to Ceaser. But to Bumbuma they are collecting what does not belong to them. Can you imagine that they are producing 7 megawatts now and they are collecting Le 1 Billion weekly.

The company is also sending Le 2 Billion weekly to sustain the plants at Kingtom Power Station. Despite the frantic effort NPA is making to provide 24 hours electricity to this nation, there are people that are undermining that effort.

Hearing this TRACE Trace was quick to give them a grade mark of 40 percent. It seems that they are making frantic effort to provide sustainable electricity to the nation. NPA has been meeting stiff challenges in the collection of its bills. It has therefore taken proactive measures in its bid to collect its bills. This is true, the latest move take by NPA to arrest those  that are in the habit of stealing electricity clearly  indicates that NPA is ready to provide electricity to this nation. The company was able to recover over One Hundred and Fifteen Million Leones in one operation.

With such a huge sum of money shows how people are yearning to move the country backwards while others are yearning to move forward.

In the area of Freetown blackout which Mama TRACE wanted to know about, Mr. Clarke said “Our machines are in good order but there is shortage of Marine Fuel Oil (MFO) in the country. The MFO is bought by National Petroleum (np) which has promised to come with supply this week. We have not got enough fuel to run the engine.  Meanwhile only one or two machines are running,”

TRACE went deeper after leaving the office of the PRO and discovered that most government offices including the office of the President at State House have been in total blackout for the past two days. TRACE learnt that government owes NPA Billions of Leones for non payment of utility bills.

It is very interesting that a government which is preaching about sustainable energy is not paying their bills. As TRACE is training for the fight to uproot those that are in the habit of stealing NPA electricity and bring them to book, TRACE called also on NPA to supervise some of their staff members who according to investigation are the ones connecting illegal connection. They are not even thinking about their job if they are caught on the act. Or they are still thinking that NPA is still in the dark days where people can do whatever they want to do and go scout free.

One other strategy NPA has introduced is the public display of Meters in homes and offices, the line of cables from the pole to the meter should be transparent.

Mr. Clarke said they are going to continue to change to prepaid meters in the remaining areas under NPA purview.

A wholly owned subsidiary of IDEA (UK), the construction of the hotel, scheduled to be ready for operations by 2014, is part of the fulfilment of IDEA (UK)’s vision for development as a company predominantly owned by Sierra Leoneans.

The present structures would be demolished for a new building which would cost an estimated $41 million provided on loan by African Export Import Bank (AfreximBank).

Kanu added that though NASSIT’s involvement is strictly commercial, it will make no additional financial commitment because the investors would take the responsibility.

Managing Director, IDEA (UK), Keith Aki-Sawyerr, gave a brief insight into the design of the hotel and how it would conform to Hilton Worldwide brand. “My team continues to work with our partners to deliver as scheduled,” Aki-Sawyerr added.

Before turning the sod, President Koroma thanked IDEA (UK), Hilton Worldwide and other institutions that took the project thus far saying the present level of achievement is worth celebrating. He stressed that there had been difficulties to arrive at this point and urged everyone to draw lessons from them.

“We should move forward for the next 50 years without reversal,” he said. “We should move from being a low to middle income country; from receiving to a donor country. I said so because we are blessed with the natural resources …We must take the challenge and run with it.”

Deepak Seth of Hilton Worldwide said the company is no stranger to Africa and with the Hilton Freetown Cape Sierra Hotel, which he personally thinks is situated at a location with the most fascinating view he had ever seen, Hilton Worldwide will help put Sierra Leone on the map.

Divided into the ballot, the certificates of canvass and the election process, InterAksyon probed the various ways cheating was done at that time.

Check out the cheating via

The ballot [http://www.interaksyon.com/hoax-populi-ballot]

The COCs [http://www.interaksyon.com/hoax-populi-coc]

The election process [http://www.interaksyon.com/hoax-populi-election-process]

APRIL 14, CHENNAI (INDIA)

Six years after the December 2004 tsunami hit the capital of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, fishermen fear of losing their traditional occupation and the only source of livelihood of majority of them.

More than 30,000 fishermen families were relocated after the tsunami in Chennai, which is bounded on the east by the Bay of Bengal. However, around 10,000 fisherfolk living in Nochikuppam of Mylapore city still eke out a living through fishing in the Bay of Bengal. The poor fisherfolk, who are without education, drinking water, toilet, drainage and health care are facing an uncertain future.

Most of the rehabilitated fishermen are no longer into their traditional profession of fishing. Those who are still involved in fishing and allied activities say well-equipped fishermen from Taiwan and Japan sail all the way to pocket areas of fish in the Bay of Bengal and make a catch, snatching away their livelihood. The dwindling fish population in the Indian ocean is adding to their woes.

Living in temporary shelters and waiting for rebuilding of their homes, the fisherfolk besieged with woes galore are having tough time fulfilling their both ends meet. “Our income through fishing has taken a nosedive lately, which is putting our traditional profession at risk,” says Shiva Raman (32), a leader of the fishermen community. He says foreign fishermen make a good catch with the help of sophisticated fishing boats, but they can’t as a result of the use of traditional fiber boats and small trawlers.

The unexpected decline of fish population is leading to a sharp fall in their income. “Earning around 10,000 rupees ($160) a month had never been a far cry 10 years ago, but these days making 3,000 rupees is a tough nut to crack,” says another 58-year-old fisherman Chinnaneurai. “Fish harvests are always fluctuating and sale prices are unpredictable,” says the weathered fisherman.

Raman says many fishermen are on the verge of being displaced from their traditional profession despite the fact that the fishing industry is growing in India. “Fishermen are forced to sell their catch to traders at prices far below market rates. This is also discouraging fishermen,” he says.

Dans ce même sillage, les participants à cette session de deux semaines auront droit à des échanges avec le directeur de l’Institut africain de développement économique et de planification des Nations unies (IDEP) basé à Dakar, Diéry Seck et le directeur de la confédération nationale des employeurs du Sénégal (CNES) à l’instar de la précédente semaine qui avait enregistré les interventions du conseiller au Ministère des Affaires étrangères, Malick Diouf et du Commandant Ousmane Amadou du Ministère de la Défense du Sénégal.

Rappelons que cette formation qui intervient après celle de 2010, porte sur le thème « les enjeux journalistiques de l’intégration régionale en Afrique de l’Ouest – Défis, Institutions et politiques de la CEDEAO » et est prévue pour prendre fin le vendredi 11 mars prochain.

IIJ alumnus Kent Mensah on Global Journalist radio

Last week, I had the opportunity to be a guest on Global Journalist, a radio, television, and internet program that brings together journalists and other experts from around the world to discuss topics in the international news.

Host and producer of GJ, Tim Wall

The goal of the programme – hosted and produced by versatile Tim Wall – is to tell the story of the storytellers.

Last week’s edition discussed indigenous journalist and how local communities and their issues are being covered around the world. The guests on the show were superb and impregnated with issues on the ground. They were:

Eric Jackson, Editor, Panama News, Kirstie Parker, Editor, Koori Mail, Australia, Marley Shebala, Journalist, Navajo Times, Arizona. And yours truly, Kent Mensah, Journalist, Africa News, Ghana
Listen, watch and enjoy the show via this link:

http://globaljournalist.org/radio/2011/02/24/

The fourth and fifth topic of Twitter‘s world trend list is now about Egypt and Mubarak. People of this world have discovered the power of Social Media in last few weeks. From Tunisia the revolution of social media has reached to Egypt and peaceful revolution is now complete by stepping down of President Hosni Mubarak.
According to media report, Mubarak’s administration tried to restrict the use of social media site like Twitter. I have read this in a blog where the blogger also wrote about the ways to get access of Twitter even when Mubarak’s administration was not allowing that.

As I was feeling unwell today, I passed almost the morning and noon at my house. But I was reading reports in different sites at online. After my lunch, I received a phone call from my Chief Reporter. What he had told me was sad as information but good for news. The report of 70 deaths really deserves lead news at the print edition of any newspaper. He asked me to collect more information like passport numbers and address from Foreign Ministry as the accident was in Saudi capital, Riyadh.