Citizens Call For Removal Of Tax On Imported Gas …As Bio Commits To Clean Cooking

By: Musa Kamara
On Tuesday, 14th May, 2024, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio participated at the International Energy Agency Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa, in Paris, France. As one of the world leaders gathered at the groundbreaking event in France, President Bio delivered the keynote address where he succinctly outlined his government’s strategic plans to prioritize clean cooking solutions in Sierra Leone, stating that, it is a major step in alleviating our women from poverty and health related issues and a major step in his energy transition plans.
Spearheading this initiative is Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, Chairman of President Bio’s Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy, and Food Security. Dr. Yumkella’s relentless advocacy for sustainable development culminated in a one-day dialogue in March, on clean cooking, bringing together key stakeholders including women in leadership roles, government officials, and development partners. This collaborative effort sought to map out sustainable clean cooking solutions tailored to Sierra Leone’s unique needs.
The fruits of these endeavors were evident at the summit in Paris, where a staggering $2.2 billion USD has been raised to revolutionize access to clean cooking in Africa. This historic milestone not only underscores the urgency of addressing energy poverty but also highlights Sierra Leone’s pivotal role in shaping the global clean energy agenda.
Back home, Sierra Leoneans have applauded the efforts of President Bio’s government in promoting clean cooking in Sierra Leone, but have resoundingly called on his government to remove the already imposed 5% tax on the importation of cooking gas to the country by the Ministry of Finance in their Finance Act of 2024.
Many pundits are alluding that, cooking gas, which is one of the driving forces to ensure access to clean cooking, is very much expensive, especially for the majority of households around the country.
“It is evident that, President Bio’s government means well in this clean cooking issue, but I think as a government, they have to remove this tax on gas importation, so that gas can be cheaper and accessible in order to ensure we all actualize clean cooking in Sierra Leone,” a popular social commentator urged.