The Government of Liberia, through the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), has electrified some slum communities in Monrovia and its environs. On Tuesday, July 25, 2023, the Chief Executive Officer of LEC, Monie Ralph Captan, led a team of engineers to switch the lights on in Iron Factory Blocks B and C, Lonestar Cell Number one in Jacob Town, and 72nd Army Camp Communities.
This LEC initiative project is aimed at connecting communities that were not covered by various donor funded projects.
The exercise is part of the LEC Gap Communities Electrification Project (G-CEP), which targets areas and slum communities initially left out of the LEC-Power Grid electricity program, sponsored by the World Bank, European Union, African Development Bank, and other donor institutions.
The LEC G-CEP is a self-initiative sponsored by the LEC Management, aimed at expanding electricity to slums and hard-to-reach communities, with the objective of curbing power theft and expanding its Network Asset Distribution across Montserrado County.
As part of the exercise by the LEC management, under the astute leadership of its Acting Chief Executive Officer, Monie Ralph Captan, the lights were officially switched on in the aforementioned communities, with over 4,000 (Four thousand) residents benefiting from the exercise.
With this recent development, residents in these communities are now legally connected to the LEC grid and enjoying stable and affordable supply of electricity.
In his remarks during the exercise, Mr. Captan described the initiative as a clear demonstration and manifestation of President George Weah’s sincere commitment to advancing the country’s energy sector by connecting all residents, irrespective of status.
Mr. Captan said there is a compelling need to provide stable and affordable electricity to the thresholds of the population, which is embedded within President Weah’s Pro Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development.
He commended the government of President George Manneh Weah for the tireless efforts and unflinching support to the current LEC Liberia Management team, ensuring that the livelihoods of Liberians are improved with uninterrupted electricity supply.
According to the Acting CEO, access to stable and affordable electricity is a vital component for development; and as such, Liberians cannot be excluded, especially under the Pro Poor Government of President George Weah, whose vision is to connect the entire country.
He added that the Corporation’s primary objective is to provide access to electricity for some slum communities left out of the LEC Power grid by various donor projects that are cardinal to having them fully connected to the national electricity grid.
The LEC Acting CEO emphasized that LEC intends to further improve the livelihoods of Liberians through basic social services, thereby helping to alleviate environmental and socio-economic conditions of Liberians living in slum communities, especially in Monrovia and its environs.
He observed that the main objective of the LEC Gap Communities Electrification Project is to curtail power theft, an action he said hampers the economic growth and development of a country.
He also warned those legally connected to the national electricity grid to desist from any forms of illegal connections and transactions, noting that it undermines LEC’s quest to get more people connected.
He, however, used the occasion to hail employees of the corporation for their unflinching support towards the success of the project and many other initiatives that the Corporation is currently undertaking as part of its infrastructural development plan.
Also speaking, the Executive Director for Planning Engineering and Major Connections (PEMC) at LEC, Mr. Dele I. Shobayo, said the LEC G-CEP will bring relief to residents of the three benefiting communities who have struggled over the years to get legally connected to the LEC grid.
Mr. Shobayo cautioned community dwellers to be proactive in instituting measures that will strengthen the fight against power theft and encouraging them to be good citizens and customers who will jealously protect the electricity being provided by the government of Liberia, through the LEC management.
Mr. Shobayo said as part of the LEC Gap Communities Electrification project, the LEC management under the visionary leadership of Monie Captan, was able to procure basic electrical materials such as transformers, wires, light poles, and meters, amongst others.
Mr. Dele Shobayo, however, praised residents of the project affected communities for their support given to the contractors during the course of the project, which contributed to the smooth implementation of the project.
Giving an overview of the LEC G-CEP Project, Mr. Shobayo disclosed that the intent is to bridge the electricity gaps for people in slum communities and warned the citizens against tampering with their meters, which has a serious financial loss on the Corporation’s financial income and detrimental to customers’ safety as well.
Meanwhile, residents and beneficiaries of the three (3) communities extended heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the Government of Liberia through the LEC management for the electrification of their respective communities.
They vowed to protect all LEC installations from all forms of illegal connections and transactions, as a way of maintaining electricity supply, something they long waited for, terming it as a dream come true.
