Attention has been drawn to a very disparaging commentary by Arthur E. Pearce, sweating to discredit the work of Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella as the leader of the energy sector.
First, someone should sit Mr. Pearce down, put him through school and help him understand that it is essential that he approaches the analysis of Dr. Yumkella’s leadership of the energy sector with some balance, bearing in mind the enormity of the challenge facing the sector.
Yes, Sierra Leone has had erratic power supply for decades. But to dismiss Dr. Yumkella merely because of past frustrations is a gross simplification of the issue. Our energy sector is in its current state due to years of neglect and underinvestment with an archaic infrastructure. Expecting change to come overnight is not only unrealistic but it also ignores the work that is already being done to achieve provision of sustainable and reliable power to citizens.
As Chairman of the Energy Governance Coordination Group (EGCG), Dr. Yumkella’s leadership catalyses change in a sector long mired in systemic and structural challenges. He is championing and working on the development of even more investments into renewable energy, and we have already seen an uptick in this with the announcement of new energy projects, such as the recent 108MW Nant Power Generation plant and others, including an upgrade and expansion of the grid itself. These projects will not be pie in the sky, because they represent actual investment, with operational timelines in the short term.
In addition, Dr. Yumkella’s background is not just for show. His experience with the United Nations, where he spent years rolling out the world-development programme with a focus on energy and sustainable development, two areas that are critical in reforming the energy sector in Sierra Leone, makes him an excellent person to lead efforts in reforming the energy sector in the country. A demeaning attitude of assertion that Dr. Yumkella talks more than he acts does not only demonstrates ignorance; it is more so an insult to the sane logic of eloquence as well as competence for problem solving.
While some may agree or disagree, leadership is not to be defined by the timely provision of results in the short term. The forensic audit, all of us need to understand, was done to look for the causes of several issues that are both structural and systemic. It is not time to scoff at such efforts as empty rhetoric — we should wait and see the report and what actions will follow in response.
To question Dr. Yumkella’s credibility because of the past is to miss the larger and historical transition in the energy sector that is already underway. But transforming a sector that has been broken for decades cannot happen in a vacuum — it needs sustained leadership and strategic thinking, and above all, it needs someone to galvanize cooperation between the government and the private sector and international partners — which is what Dr. Yumkella has done since His Excellency the president, Rtd. Brid. Julius Maada Bio gave him the role as energy sector lead.
And for many of you who share the same frustration as Arthur Pearce — I urge you again to reconsider your position. Constructive criticism is always well taken but let us not downplay the strides being taken to address one of the country’s long-standing challenges. Yes, leadership demands accountability, but it also demands patience and the acknowledgment that bringing about real change is a marathon, not a sprint.
Dr. Yumkella, who is invested in Sierra Leone’s energy future, remains undeterred in pursuit of that vision, and with time and with lots of hope, Sierra Leone will become a stable and sustainable energy country.
