{"id":20452,"date":"2024-10-15T10:39:49","date_gmt":"2024-10-15T09:39:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/?p=20452"},"modified":"2024-10-15T10:39:52","modified_gmt":"2024-10-15T09:39:52","slug":"explainer-sierra-leone-signs-480m-compact-with-mcc-to-transform-energy-sector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/explainer-sierra-leone-signs-480m-compact-with-mcc-to-transform-energy-sector\/","title":{"rendered":"Explainer: Sierra Leone signs $480M Compact with MCC to transform \u2018energy sector\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant has been the centre of debate among citizens. The award was signed on Friday, September 27, 2024,<\/a> between the Sierra Leone government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in Washington, DC. The signing of the grant was not without controversy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DUBAWA takes an in-depth analysis of the fund expected to provide power in Sierra Leone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Worth and purpose of 2023 Compact <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to President Maada Bio, the Compact won by Sierra Leone for 2023<\/a> is worth $480M and will address the country\u2019s perennial problem of energy\/electricity production and distribution for its over seven million population. Sierra Leone is one of the West African nations rated among the countries experiencing \u2018energy poverty\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

History behind Sierra Leone\u2019s Compact <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sierra Leone was announced as one of the African countries that passed the 2023 Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact<\/a>. This is the fifth Compact the country has passed in consecutive years since President Julius Maada Bio assumed power in 2018.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2022, the country received a compact fund to support its energy sector. In 2023, it also passed the MCC Compact, and it is worth $480M; this one, too, is going into developing Sierra Leone\u2019s poor energy sector for the interest of its citizens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Compact\u2019s challenge   <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Even though the country has passed the Compact for 2023, the outcome of the national elections held in 2023 <\/a>has been a key impediment, significantly derailing the award of the Compact to Sierra Leone.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Embassy in Freetown and key partners had earlier raised doubts over the outcome of the 2023 nationwide electoral process,<\/a> leading to the announcement of the incumbent president<\/a> by the country\u2019s national Returning Officer for the second and final term, as provided by the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It took some time for the government and the MCC to return to negotiations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The disbursement of the Compact\u2019s funds saga <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The main focus of the debate is whether the MCC board has or has not disbursed the funds in the compact award. Different schools regarding the funds have emerged; citizens hold varying views on the status regarding the disbursement of the Compact\u2019s funds to the government of Sierra Leone. Evidence from the signing of the Compact\u2019s agreement between Sierra Leone and the MCC<\/a> suggests that the funds have not been released to the government, stating that\u2014the funds would only be disbursed after the fulfilment of two key conditions, which the government must complete before the MCC would release the funds to the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conditions to be met by Sierra Leone\u2019s government for the Funds to be released: U.S Embassy\u2019s perspective <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Embassy’s press release confirmed the signing of the MCC Compact Award agreement between Sierra Leone and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Management headed by Alice P. Albright. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The release of the Compact\u2019s funds, according to the press statement accompanying the Grant\u2014would be released to the government of Sierra Leone upon addressing the electoral issues emanating from the 2023 nationwide polls<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The release reads, in part:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCooperation between the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party and the opposition All People\u2019s Congress on adopting recommended electoral and constitutional reforms and achieving justice and accountability for violence related to the 2023 electoral cycle will be key to this effort.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The image of the circled paragraph states the conditions to be met for Sierra Leone to release the MCC Compact\u2019s funds. Image Source: U.S Embassy<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hence, this statement makes the status of the MCC Compact\u2019s funds disbursement to the government of Sierra Leone obvious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The significance of the Compact to the people <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The significance of the Compact\u2019s funds to the State is overwhelming. The $480M funds that the US government will give to the government and the people of Sierra Leone would help boost the struggling country\u2019s energy and infrastructural developments, including the construction\u2014of roads, health centres, and education. Thus, the Compact\u2019s purpose of improving the State\u2019s poor energy sector will lead to Sierra Leone\u2019s production and distribution of electricity, not just for its citizens, but also to extend the energy development to border nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Bio expresses hope for Sierra Leone\u2019s energy sector<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The President of Sierra Leone, Dr Juluis Maada Bio<\/a>, signed the MCC compact agreement with MCC Management in Washington, D.C., United States of America, on 27 September. While signing the agreement, the president commended the board for the grant and promised to use the funds for their intended purpose.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He noted further that the signing of the formal agreement<\/a> indicates the willingness and support of the US government and the MCC management to support the transformation of Sierra Leone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DUBAWA gauges citizens\u2019 reactions to the significance of the Compact <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Amadu Bah<\/strong>, a civil servant in Freetown, expressed his joy at the great opportunity, noting that the compact’s significance to the country cannot be overemphasised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that he hoped the funds would be used for their rightful purpose, saying that the government received funds in the past to improve energy in the country, but little improvement has been seen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dissent voice <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lawyer Lansana Dumbuya<\/a> is the substantive scribe for Sierra Leone’s main opposition political party, All People’s Congress (APC). Via his X account, he stated,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe MCC ought not to have been granted to the government of Sierra Leone at this point in time\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Dumbuya added that the MCC compact funds should not be granted to the government until it respects or obeys the conditions<\/a> attached to them.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Government\u2019s reaction: SLPP\u2019s scribe urges citizens to own the Compact achievement <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The current National Secretary General of the ruling Sierra Leone People\u2019s Party (SLPP)<\/a>, who also serves as the substantive Dep. Minister of Mines Umaru Napoleon Koroma, Esq., urged Sierra Leoneans to seize the great opportunity<\/a>. He said the funds from the Compact would be used to develop the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He noted that every Sierra Leonean should be happy about the award, adding that the funds accompanying it will significantly transform the nation\u2019s energy issue\u2014a problem that has existed for decades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A popular lawyer and politician of the main opposition political party, Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, Esq., also commented on the MCC Compact award, urging its proper use<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

J.F. Kamara, Esq., who served as Anti-Corruption Commissioner and Minister of Justice under the then APC party\u2019s 11-year reign, commended both the government and the MCC for signing the Compact agreement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, he strongly admonished the government to use the funds to benefit all Sierra Leoneans adequately. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant has been the centre of debate among citizens. The award was signed on Friday, September 27, 2024, between the Sierra Leone government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in Washington, DC. The signing of the grant was not without controversy. DUBAWA takes an in-depth analysis of the fund expected to provide power in Sierra Leone. Worth and purpose of 2023 Compact  According to President Maada Bio, the Compact won by Sierra Leone for 2023 is worth $480M and will address the country\u2019s perennial problem of energy\/electricity production and distribution for its over seven million population. Sierra Leone is one of the West African nations rated among the countries experiencing \u2018energy poverty\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0 History behind Sierra Leone\u2019s Compact  Sierra Leone was announced as one of the African countries that passed the 2023 Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact. This is the fifth Compact the country has passed in consecutive years since President Julius Maada Bio assumed power in 2018.\u00a0\u00a0 In 2022, the country received a compact fund to support its energy sector. In 2023, it also passed the MCC Compact, and it is worth $480M; this one, too, is going into developing Sierra Leone\u2019s poor energy sector for the interest of its citizens.  Compact\u2019s challenge    Even though the country has passed the Compact for 2023, the outcome of the national elections held in 2023 has been a key impediment, significantly derailing the award of the Compact to Sierra Leone.\u00a0 The U.S. Embassy in Freetown and key partners had earlier raised doubts over the outcome of the 2023 nationwide electoral process, leading to the announcement of the incumbent president by the country\u2019s national Returning Officer for the second and final term, as provided by the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone. It took some time for the government and the MCC to return to negotiations. The disbursement of the Compact\u2019s funds saga  The main focus of the debate is whether the MCC board has or has not disbursed the funds in the compact award. Different schools regarding the funds have emerged; citizens hold varying views on the status regarding the disbursement of the Compact\u2019s funds to the government of Sierra Leone. Evidence from the signing of the Compact\u2019s agreement between Sierra Leone and the MCC suggests that the funds have not been released to the government, stating that\u2014the funds would only be disbursed after the fulfilment of two key conditions, which the government must complete before the MCC would release the funds to the country.\u00a0 Conditions to be met by Sierra Leone\u2019s government for the Funds to be released: U.S Embassy\u2019s perspective  The U.S. Embassy’s press release confirmed the signing of the MCC Compact Award agreement between Sierra Leone and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Management headed by Alice P. Albright.  The release of the Compact\u2019s funds, according to the press statement accompanying the Grant\u2014would be released to the government of Sierra Leone upon addressing the electoral issues emanating from the 2023 nationwide polls.  The release reads, in part: \u201cCooperation between the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party and the opposition All People\u2019s Congress on adopting recommended electoral and constitutional reforms and achieving justice and accountability for violence related to the 2023 electoral cycle will be key to this effort.\u201d  The image of the circled paragraph states the conditions to be met for Sierra Leone to release the MCC Compact\u2019s funds. Image Source: U.S Embassy Hence, this statement makes the status of the MCC Compact\u2019s funds disbursement to the government of Sierra Leone obvious.  The significance of the Compact to the people  The significance of the Compact\u2019s funds to the State is overwhelming. The $480M funds that the US government will give to the government and the people of Sierra Leone would help boost the struggling country\u2019s energy and infrastructural developments, including the construction\u2014of roads, health centres, and education. Thus, the Compact\u2019s purpose of improving the State\u2019s poor energy sector will lead to Sierra Leone\u2019s production and distribution of electricity, not just for its citizens, but also to extend the energy development to border nations.  President Bio expresses hope for Sierra Leone\u2019s energy sector The President of Sierra Leone, Dr Juluis Maada Bio, signed the MCC compact agreement with MCC Management in Washington, D.C., United States of America, on 27 September. While signing the agreement, the president commended the board for the grant and promised to use the funds for their intended purpose.\u00a0 He noted further that the signing of the formal agreement indicates the willingness and support of the US government and the MCC management to support the transformation of Sierra Leone. DUBAWA gauges citizens\u2019 reactions to the significance of the Compact  Amadu Bah, a civil servant in Freetown, expressed his joy at the great opportunity, noting that the compact’s significance to the country cannot be overemphasised. He added that he hoped the funds would be used for their rightful purpose, saying that the government received funds in the past to improve energy in the country, but little improvement has been seen.  Dissent voice  Lawyer Lansana Dumbuya is the substantive scribe for Sierra Leone’s main opposition political party, All People’s Congress (APC). Via his X account, he stated, \u201cThe MCC ought not to have been granted to the government of Sierra Leone at this point in time\u2026\u201d Mr Dumbuya added that the MCC compact funds should not be granted to the government until it respects or obeys the conditions attached to them.\u00a0 Government\u2019s reaction: SLPP\u2019s scribe urges citizens to own the Compact achievement  The current National Secretary General of the ruling Sierra Leone People\u2019s Party (SLPP), who also serves as the substantive Dep. Minister of Mines Umaru Napoleon Koroma, Esq., urged Sierra Leoneans to seize the great opportunity. He said the funds from the Compact would be used to develop the country. He noted that every Sierra Leonean should be happy about the award, adding that the funds accompanying it will significantly transform the nation\u2019s energy issue\u2014a problem that has existed for decades.  A popular lawyer and politician of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20453,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"hannibal_claim_source":"","hannibal_source_label":"","hannibal_card_color":"blue","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_bluesky_share_type":"","_mastodon_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[1572,4,3812,3815,1268],"tags":[],"verdict":[],"ppma_author":[3442],"class_list":["post-20452","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-explainers","category-featured","category-headline","category-homepage","category-sierra-leone"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8R6dE-5jS","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":3442,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"fayia-j-moseray","display_name":"Fayia J. 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