Aggrieved residents of the Township of Louisiana, in Montserrado County Electoral District #1, early Monday blocked the main street in the area, demanding the management of the Liberia Electricity Corporation to provide their communities with current.
According to our reporter who covered the protest, the citizens were seen in a temper of anger and chanting the slogan, “We want current” to the leadership of the LEC.
Speaking to Dakpannah 24, the spokesperson of the group, Abraham Sheriff, alleged that the LEC workers operating in that part of Montserrado County, are always seen selling meters to private citizens, including entities ,for over US$2-3,000while others who can barely afford a daily meals suffer.
He argued that the Peace Clinic, Bravo Mineral Water Company and CHECO among others that are operating within their community, cannot be benefited electricity when it is the Cassava Hill Community that stores all of the equipment and other materials of the LEC.
Sheriff further termed as unfair for a few houses within the Cassava Hill Community, Louisiana Township to be enjoying electricity through whatever way they may have gotten it, while the LEC management continues to deny the availability of meters to supply other citizens across the country.
Making a swift intervention to calm the situation, the Technical Project Manager at the LEC, Michael Slogan promised that the management will supply the Cassava Hill Community in Louisiana Township in the next two to three months, disclosing that currently, the LEC does not have meters in the country.
Zologon also clarified that the Peace Clinic as per their guidelines to supply all health centres across the country, the clinic paid for its connection fee to the LEC management, adding that the Bravo Mineral Water Company was connected as one of their biggest customers.
He also said the LEC management connected the CHECO because the company bought its own transformers.
“All LEC materials are not on the shelf, the meters are to be manufactured before being shipped to Liberia. We will verify the information about people reportedly being connected illegally, if established, we will disconnect the five community dwellers.
It is an injustice because others cannot be waiting patiently while others are benefiting illegally. We are focused on those network areas with transformers and we want these people collaboration to be informed about their connection. No citizen is supposed to pay a dime to connect you from the pole; when transformers are damaged, LEC management is supposed to replace them free.
LEC management does not connect an individual, but the entire household with a meter, and the meter will be registered in the house owner’s name. ” He said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Cassava Hill Community, Harris Zondoe said it is frustrating for his people to live in the community without current, stressing that they often see meters being crossed from one point to another.
Zondoe told the LEC management that in the next 15 days, if electricity does not enter his community to benefit all residents, they will continue their protestation, adding that the community does not accept the three months’ time period given by the management.
