-To reduce power theft
By: G Bennie Bravo Johnson I
Liberia’s power theft problem is a hidden threat that may undermine the nation’s financial stability –
Citizens in Monrovia and its environs are calling on the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) to increase meters supply to reduce power theft in Liberia speaking to a team of Independent investigative journalists Network who interviewed some community residents disclosed that due to the low supplies of meter led to increasing in power theft.
Speaking to journalists over the weekend, the principal of the Academic Treasury Academy (ATA) in West Point Mr. Ponnyenneh D. Jlay, Sr, said “If meters are available it will reduce power theft in the country, noting Liberians are willing to contribute to the interest of development, if meters are available to customers it will increase the business climate in the country”.
Mr. Jlay alleged that most households in West Point are engaged in power theft, he further disclosed that people who were trained by LEC are the want who are mainly involved in the illegal connections in the community for their benefit.
He further informed Journalists that even if the management of LEC brings in more meters, people will still do power theft, said because power theft is the leading thing in West Point, it become systematic among some residents.
According to him, some Liberians appreciate LEC for reducing the cause of using Liberia Electricity now compared to the past, while other people are still stealing from the corporation; “I am appealing to the LEC management team to reinforce the Anti-power theft unit to minimize power theft in the country” Said Mr. Jlay.
Meanwhile, Mr. Jlay called on the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) to increase the supply of power in the dry season as compared to the reason.
At the same time, our team spoke to a businesswoman who engages in the fish business in the West Point community, Madam Ijaha Nah, who said: “If the Current is stable, we will be able to store our fish in refrigerators to keep it fresh for the market and we will not need to use wood to dry fish, we will surely depend on LEC for our business, collectively we can lessen power theft and raise more revenue to benefit the country and not individuals or individuals”.
She advises that community people should protect their transformers from over-loading from power theft. When that is done it will help reduce power theft and make it stable, even though the LEC’s responsibility is to ensure that efficient, reliable, and affordable electric power is available to all its customers.
In addition to customer response, Pastor Alex B. Lake, a resident of West Point and owner of God’s Divine Conquer ministry told our fact-checking team that if LEC is stable it will bring some economic gains to the Country.
The fight against Power theft should be everyone’s business, it should be engaged collectively by all Liberians, and should not be left with the LEC alone.
According to him, some Liberians are always in support of the wrong, even if someone is bypassing the meter, others will support their idea.
Meanwhile, our team of investigators extended their fact-finding to the LEC and met the Executive Director for the Commercial and Regulatory Division, of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) M. Hady Sherif, who outlined some progress and challenges faced over the year.
In response to the customer, regarding meter supplies, Mr. Sherif has promised that about three thousand meters would soon arrive in the Country to meet the customers’ demand; he further disclosed that all motility has been worked out with their international partners to supply LEC with meters within three years.
The Executive Director also disclosed that the LEC has improved its customer service, ranging: from hotline quick response, opening LEC substations in some parts of Montserrado and its surroundings, in-band calls center, to call customers back, and the LEC generating huge revenues from autonomy agencies and commissions who are complying in paying for services to LEC, also international partners mission around Monrovia.
At the same time said, that power theft remains the major source of loss of revenue and also technical losses due to meters which sometimes encounter the free flow of current, he further disclosed to our team that donors’ funding has slowdown, making it difficult to secure more meters, however, LEC has been trying on her own to secure meters sometimes it causes delay to supplies customers with meters in.
He also disclosed that LEC Management is doing everything in its power to reduce power theft by bringing in more meters in the country, further said that, in recent times the management secured about six thousand meters, and they are delivering it to customers who applied for meters some long time ago.
In conclusion, the Director of the Commercial and Regulatory Division of Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) M. Hady Sherif, said he and his team are involved in communities’ engagement to educate people about the dangers of power theft in LEC and the country. He called on all Liberians who are involved in power theft to disengage.
