LIBERIAN SENATE REQUEST SOLUTION TO LIGHT PROBLEM FROM LEC & LERC

The Plenary of the Liberian Senate has given the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) and the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC) two weeks to submit a plan of action with specific timeline. This is part of its plans to resolve the nation electricity challeneges

They have also asked them to recommend ways and means to solve the numerous problems and challenges, especially financial liabilities as well as its inabilities to provide stable electricity in the Country.

Liberian Senate invited both LEC and LERC to breif them on the current challeneges facing the electricity sector. During a Senate hearing, LEC Board Chair Monie R. Captan told the Senate that for 25 years the entire electricity infrastructure was damaged due to the civil crisis, which basically had to be rebuilt and upgraded, based on the contributions from development partners (European Union, African Development Bank).

Meanwhile, The LEC Board Chairman also asserted that the sector at the time had completed its infrastructure work at the three border points, but was not prepared for full operation.

According to him, during a tour session of former President Sirleaf, a command was sent to turn the power on at those points, which has remained till today landing us in a huge debt.

Captan also blamed the refusal of some entities of government and officials to pay electricity bills.

For his part, the Chairman of the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission, Hon. Lawrence Sekajipo, recommended that the government of Liberia should embark on measures including: generation deficit, connecting to the CLSG Line from the Ivory Coast for a stable and reliable electricity, private sector investment, among others, as the surest ways to improve the Country’s energy sector.

SOURCE: Observer