Africa-To secure electricity supply, do not get involved in Power theft

After a protest by residents of Caldwell Community, the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) has finally decided to electrify the township.Speaking at a ceremony for the electrification of the township, Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy Minister Geslor Murray said affordable energy is critical to the growth of Liberia.

Min. Murray hoped that the project will yield the desire result.The Mines Minister admonished residents of Caldwell to not get involved in power theft adding that they should take ownership of the project.“To secure electricity supply, do not get involved in power theft, which is detrimental to your safety and environment,” he said.

Minister Murray thanked LEC and donors for the implementation of the project.LEC Project Manager Henry Kimber said when the project is completed, 33,000 homes in Caldwell will be connected.The LEC Project Manager buttressed what the Energy Minister had stated earlier that the Corporation will provide accessible and affordable power.

He further stated that the connection will cover Montserrado, Bomi and Cape Mount; adding, “It will begin from Caldwell.”According to him, Caldwell’s connection to the power grid, didn’t come as a result of the residents’ protest.

“It is accessible and affordable, Caldwell is strategic. This thing was planned a few years ago; some of Caldwell will not require a sub-station. This is what we are supposed to do; we are not doing you a favor.”Kimber continued: “The overall objective is to provide affordable electricity; we have a national mandate to provide electricity to Liberia.”

A resident of Caldwell, Ujay Ricks, expressed thanks to LEC and donor for the implementation of the project.“We are grateful; the people of Caldwell have been denied access to electricity for a long time,” Ricks said.He noted that the connection wouldn’t have been possible if the citizens did not protest something the LEC denied.“We know that this ceremony would not have been possible if the citizens had not acted. This tells you the people’s involvement in the governance is very essential,” Ricks said.

Ricks continued: “We ask the citizens to remain engaged for the successful implementation of this project.”

Few weeks ago, residents of Caldwell took to the street in demand of electricity on grounds that Mount Coffee, which supplies the electricity is just adjacent the township while the distribution lines, which take the electricity from Mount Coffee, pass right through their township providing electricity for other communities that are far away from hydro while they, who are a stone’s throw from the hydro, are in darkness

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