Africa-Press – Liberia. On October 21, MBH Power Limited-Liberia held a certification ceremony for interns and issued provisional acceptance certificates under the Monrovia Consolidation of Electricity and Distribution – Works Contracts – Lots 1 & 2.
During the ceremony, about 40 interns from the University of Liberia and the Stella Maris Polytechnic were certificated, having worked with trained electricians, both local and international, under ‘The Monrovia Consolidation of Electricity Transmission and Distribution’ project as ascribed under the ‘Light Up Monrovia’ project.
The Liberian government signed a Transmission and Distribution contract with the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Liberia, MBH Power Limited, and Intec-Gopa to design and build 66KV overheads and extend existing 66/22/0.400KV power lines to help Monrovia absorb more electricity from the Mount Coffee Hydro Plant.
The Monrovia Consolidation of Electricity Transmissions and Distribution Project was said to have had a 24-month duration. A similar project was implemented under the 9th EDF for the electricity grids. Under the two programmes, the EU earmarked and invested approximately €100 million euros in Liberia’s energy sector.
In collaboration with the EU, the National Authorizing Office (NAO) Unit of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning monitors the project to manage, coordinate, program, and oversee the EU-funded projects in Liberia.
MBH Power Limited-Liberia is one of the companies contracted by the Liberian government through the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC).
MBH Power Limited is a total energy solutions company that provides world-class services to meet the growing demand of the power sector in emerging markets. It focuses on EPC solutions in Transmission and Distribution, Metering & Energy Audit, and Turnkey solutions in Conventional and Non-Conventional Power Generation. MBH Power Limited is said to have also embarked on the development of a 300 MW Independent Power Producer project in Nigeria.
In her welcome remarks, the National Authorizing Office (NAO) unit at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Atty. Martus K.W. Bangalu, disclosed that the project has accomplished what was designed four years ago.
Bangalu said the program was designed to accommodate students studying civil and electrical engineering at the UL and Stella Maris Polytechnic. She said the project helped the students enhance their careers for the future.
Stefania Marrone, First Counselor-Head of Green Team, EU Delegation to Liberia, who spoke on behalf of the EU Ambassador to Liberia, Laurent Delahousse, commended MBH Power Limited for successfully completing the Light Up Monrovia project after the EU secured US$61 million to fund the program titled: ‘Monrovia Consolidation of Electricity Transmission Distribution’, captured under its programme: ‘Light Up Monrovia (LUM) Project’, to connect 41,200 new households to the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) grid in Monrovia and its environs.
Marrone disclosed that the National Authorizing Office (NAO) Unit of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), in partnership with the EU and in collaboration with the LEC and MBH Power Limited-Liberia, commissioned various batches of engineering interns and young engineers.
She said, “These girls and boys came from the Engineering Departments of the government-owned University of Liberia (UL) and the Catholic-owned Stella Maris Polytechnic University.
“So, I congratulate the youthful Liberians on completing their internship. Having engineers in the making to work alongside experts through an internship program has significantly helped increase the capacity of young Liberians in the field of engineering,” she added.
“You have been exposed to electrical facilities and work, equipment, and materials that you have never seen in the classroom. We wish you nothing less than the best in your future careers,” she told the students.
The interns, in response, praised the national and international partners for giving them the opportunity to obtain practical knowledge in their engineering studies after having acquired the theoretical aspect in the classrooms.
According to the interns, the Light Up Monrovia project has given them the practical foundation on which they will build their careers as they pursue their respective dreams as both electrical and civil engineers.
Meanwhile, the UL’s Dean of the Engineering College, Hun-Bu Tulay, called on the LEC and its partners to institute a feedback mechanism that will appraise their intern students, which in the end will highlight their weaknesses or strengths. He said LEC, MBH Power Limited deserves praise for completing the ‘Light up Monrovia’ project.
Speaking on behalf of the MFDP Minister Samuel Tweah was the Assistant Minister for Macroeconomics at the Ministry of Finance and Development (MFDP), James Sao Dorbor, who said the Light Up Monrovia project was an opportunity to have brilliant, young Liberians, participate in such a huge project implemented by MBH Power Limited.
Dorbor further noted that the EU has been a strong partner to the Liberian government in terms of helping us rebuild our country.
Also speaking, Dele Shobayo, Executive Director for Planning, Engineering & Major Connections, as proxy for LEC Board Chair Monie Captan, lauded the EU for its steadfast partnership and the MBH Power Limited-Liberia, for the quality of work done at the various substations under the Light up Monrovia project.
He said the internship provided robust practical experiences for the UL and Stella Maris Polytechnic interns after robust theoretical studies in the classrooms, and the experiences gained in the field will be of great dividends in the future development of the interns as they enter the real world of work.
Shobayo assured the people of Liberia of the quality of work done by the interns under the direct tutelage of MBH Power Limited – Liberia for over the period of 17 months; and looks forward to continuously working with the EU and its partners in strengthening the quality and capacity of the LEC in service delivery to the Liberian people.
He said the Board of the LEC was very happy that the internship has prepared the interns and put them on the path of becoming full engineers having acquired practical experiences under the watchful eyes of MBH Power Limited – Liberia.
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