July 26, 2021
BY MOHAMED M. SESAY
With support from Orange Mobile Company Sierra Leone, the Chief Minister Jacob Jusu Saffa has on Friday t23rd of July, handed over 500KVA Generator to Njjala University Mokonde Campus, and further assured them of addressing the terrible road condition linking Tiama to Mokonde Village as against October 2021.
Addressing University authorities and students at the Njala auditorium in Mokonde Village, Chief Minister thanked Orange Mobile Company for heeding to his clarion call by purchasing the 500KVA Generator for Njala University.
He added that as part of his operation touch-base in communities, the Chief Minister explained that he was in Moyamba when Dr. Bah of Njala University met him to push through government for Njala University to have electricity as the situation of electricity in Njala was worsening at that time.
Acting upon the request made by Dr. Bah, Jacob Jusu Saffa said he immediately Came to Freetown and told President Bio concerning the electricity situation at Njala University of which they must find an instantaneous remedy.
“President Bio told me to Identify few options as government resources may be slow and one of the options was Orange Mobile Company. The president told me to call the Minister of Information to see whether he can approach Orange. When I left the President’s Office then I said to myself why I should need to call the Minister of Information when my voice is louder than him. He is a Minister and I am the Chief Minister”, said Chief Minister Saffa.
Chief Minister Saffa said he then Called Aminata at Orange with a full view of fixing the electricity situation in Njjala University.
Jacob Jusu Safa also disclosed that Aminata did some consultations and immediately asked the Chief Minister to order Njala University to do a letter to Orange which led to the Purchase of the 500KVA Generator. He therefore assured Orange Mobile Company that government appreciates such gesture as part of the corporate social responsibility from Orange. He advised the University Authorities to put in place better management and maintenance arrangement by properly training operators of the generators as per the manual.
As part of his multiple packages promised, Chief Minister also allayed the fears of Njala Authorities and Students that plans are under way to finish the Taima-Mokonde by latest October this year.
He explained that he made such promise of fixing the Njala University road project because he is aware and well informed about the nature of that road project. He reaffirmed confidence that whenever the Bio led government promises, they will definitely deliver on such promise. Jacob Jusu Saffa furthered that government is also looking for a permanent solution to fix the electricity situation in Mokonde village.
He reiterated that government is committed to providing sufficient electricity which will aid students in their learning, teaching and research engagements.
He continued that whilst government appreciates the exponential stride of Njala University by creating new product live from the University, the Chief Minister Saffa encouraged Njala University authorities to pay more attention to Agriculture more than ever before especially when it falls under president Bio’s Human Capital Development Agenda. He maintained that Njala University do not only need to be training or producing agricultural graduates to come and work in the Ministry of Agriculture as extension workers or agronomists, but rather to train students to become agricultural entrepreneurs.
He assured the Vice Chancellor that he is ready to work with Njala University very closely in order to design and implement a project that will be funded by development partners for providing capital for agricultural graduates so that they can become self-reliant. ‘Just use me I will be very useful’, he assured the Pro-Chancellor of Njala University.
Chief Minister Saffa concluded by giving glad tidings to the students and Njala University authorities that government will fix the water problem in Njala University, intensify the electricity situation, fix the road in Njala communities and provide a banking project that would provide support for agricultural graduates which will help students become entrepreneurs.
The Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education Sarjor Aziz Kamara acknowledged that the 500KVA Generator is indeed a positive outcome for Njala University and therefore, thanked orange Mobile Company for upholding their corporate social responsibilities. Apart from the 500KVA Generator, Sarjor Aziz Kamara also noted that Orange has contributed immensely to the Free Quality Education. He furthered that President Bio made a very good choice by appointing what he described as the ‘Tok en do’ Chief Minister in the person of Jacob Jusu Saffa who is set to deliver and therefor asked for an applause to the president for appointing Jacob Jusu Saffa as the Country’s Chief Minister.
He continued that light is life and therefore encouraged students and lecturers to make a very good use of such opportunity adding that, the 500KVA Generator is an essential component in actualizing quality education in the country.
Sarjor Aziz Kamara furthered that the immediate response to the electricity situation at Njala by the Chief Minister and the timely and generous response to the fire accident by the first Lady Madam Fatima Bio at Njala University, proved that they are a listening government. He encouraged Njala University to embark on agricultural activities as the president himself is the champion in farming in order to improve on food sufficiency in the country.
In his statement, the Deputy Minister of Energy Dr. Eldred Taylor also thanked Orange Mobile Company for upholding their corporate social responsibility and equally gave credit to the Chief Minister for his timely intervention in ensuring that Njjala University is electrified. He assured and allayed the fears of the Pro-Chancellor of Njala University that they at the Ministry of Energy will be always available for the maintenance and operation of the engine and power the generator by sending in high profile engineers and technicians.
Dr. Taylor added that the issue of sustainable electricity generation for Njala University is one of the issues that are very close to the heart of the President adding that, sometimes last year they were able to secure a grant from the African Union up to a tune of about three hundred thousand united states dollars which was to provide smart solution for Njala Campus.
The Acting Vice Chancellor and Principal of Njala University Professor Andrew A. Baimba thanked the Chief Minister for being so action oriented and swiftly acted on the electrification of Njala University.
He also extended his profound thanks and appreciation to Orange Mobile Company for their indefatigable support to Njala University. Professor Baimba further intimated that Orange Sierra Leone is not a stranger to Njala University because they have been supporting Njala University on many countless occasions through provision of quality teaching materials.
He added that in 2015/2016 academic year, Njala Was in dire need of class room furniture of which Orange Sierra Leone came to their rescue by providing one thousand combined chairs and desks.
In recent times, Professor Baimba also disclosed that Orange Sierra Leone donated computers and accessories in order to support the establishment of information systems at the University Office.
He concluded that either by coincidence or otherwise, they have again witnessed another landmark donation of 500KVA Generator through the intervention of the Chief Minister.
Orange Sierra Leone Managing Director Ms. Jestina Betts acknowledged that teaching and learning will never be actualized without the presence of electricity. She added that Universities all of the world are well equipped with technologies coupled with sustainable electricity supply in order to ensure that students get quality education. She therefore informed that it was against that backdrop coupled with the clarion called made by the Chief Minister that Orange Sierra Leone donated the 500KVA Generator to Njala University. She added that the 500KVA Generator adds to the long list of items donated to Njala University by Orange Sierra Leone which is geared towards fulfilling orange Sierra Leone’s corporate social responsibility to Njala University.
She therefore craved the indulgence of Njala University students to wholeheartedly accept the generator with open hands concluding that without power supply, students will not be able to enjoy the quality aspect of education they deserve.