–On Liberia Electricity Sector Regulatory Framework
The Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC) on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, hold a one-day media Engagement for journalists and media stakeholders on Liberia Electricity Sector Regulatory Framework held at Murex Plaza in Monrovia.
The one-day Media Engagement aimed to informed journalists and media stakeholders on the sole responsibilities of LERC including policies and regulations.
In a welcome remarks and overview of the workshop, the Acting Managing Director of LERC, Abu Dekontee Sanso welcomed journalists and media stakeholders to the media engagement recognizing that the media plays a pivotal role in the development of Liberia electricity supply sector.
Sanso indicated that the Management and Commission taught it wise to have the media engagement on Liberia Electricity Sector Regulatory Framework and they hope that the objective to which the engagement was organized will be met and together they can work with the media to building a vibrant electricity sector.
He also stated that in 2009 during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf a National Energy Policy was craft and growing out that policy a law was formulated and enacted that look at specifically setting portion of the act that created the LERC.
He mentioned that setting portion of the act was amended giving rise to the 2015 electricity law and when the law was enacted give rise to the establishment of the LERC.
The LERC Acting Managing Director, in an overview of LERC said the Commission became operationalize in 2018 with the sole responsibilities to ensure that the coordinated and accelerated goal and development of the sub-sector in a conducive and completive environment for sustainability.
“Amongst several function of LERC, we license operator in the sector so the law says anybody who wants to be involve in the regulated activities must be license; we also approved tariff and charges of services provided. The price of electricity is the sole responsibility of LERC to determine. We determine and approved the tariff. We approved sector plan and investments made by operators, we also ensure that quality of service is assured by our monitoring and enforcement of standard. And also where there may be dispute between service providers and customers we intervene. If a service provider is not please with a customer that service provider has the right to complain equally so the customer also has the right to complain,” he said.
Sano also said that the electricity supply industry is principally comprised of three categories that is the policy, regulation, and operation.
“Policy, we have the Ministry of Mines and Energy and regulation, we have standards, tariff, compliance and operation we talk about efficiency, quality of supply, security of supply which falls in the rant of LEC and quit recently our private operator, such as Jungle Energy Power in Nimba, LIB Energy in the South East, and Totota Electric Corporative,” he said.
For his part, the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC), Dr. Lawrence D. Sekajipo in a special remarks vowed that the Commission is committed to the Liberian people by providing affordable, reliable, and stable electricity services.
Dr. Sekajipo also announced that the Commission have developed and implemented regulations and codes to attract private sector investment that will accelerate access to affordable, reliable, and stable electricity services.
He emphasized that LERC recognized that social media platforms influence a significant part of consumers, it is important that the Commission stay engaged and proactive in engaging the traditional media to amplify efforts to promote the services provided by the LERC.
According to him, LERC goals are to establish and implement modernized regulatory systems, policies, and procedures, ensure the regulatory system is efficient and effective by rationalizing implementation of regulations and enforcement of compliance, and create a work environment that is conducive and build a workforce that will promote organizational success.
He highlighted that the goals are lofty, and not many people know what the Commission is, what it does, the difference between the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) and the LERC, and the functions and powers of the LERC as a Regulatory Body.
“This is the essence of this media engagement and workship. We have an untold story or not sufficiently told story for our stakeholders and consumers. At this media engagement and workshop, each Department Director of the LERC will give you a briefing on what we do. In that way, you’ll have a clear picture of who we are and what we do at the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission, thus making it easier for you to tell our story to the Liberian People,” he added.
