Liberia: LEC Biggest Problem Is Govt

-Sen. Snowe Lashes At Govt

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By Washington Tumay Watson

Liberia-The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) is not up to standards in its electric power distribution and transmission requirements due to myriad of bottlenecks including unending wave of power theft which robs it millions of dollars.

But with consistent efforts by past and present managements to proffer workable solution to these issues which continue to render the national power company ineffective, some stakeholders also believe other factors have a part to play.

One person who is not just looking within is Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe of Bomi County, who claimed that the Corporation’s biggest problem is the Government of Liberia.

Sen. Snowe said government is undermining LEC in generating needed revenue to take care of many of the problems it is faced with, including providing sustainable electricity to Monrovia and its environs due to its inability to pay its bills.

The LEC, like many other public corporations such as Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company (LPRC) and Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) Liberia Telecommunications Authorities (LTA), are service providers, relying on funds generated from services provided to improve and expand services as well in a win-win situation.

While the government is fully paying for telecommunication bills, including gas and water, Sen. Snowe disclosed same is not being accorded the LEC, in terms of willingness on the part of government to pay power bills.

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Senator Snowe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Hydrocarbon, told a local radio Thursday that the Executive Mansion, the Temple of Justice and the Legislature do not have LEC meters, though they are using LEC facilities to power their offices, adding that the problem is affecting the operation of the entity, making it hard to meet up with its responsibility.

He said all ministries and agencies and commissions often make allotments for generator fuel when submitting their operational budget, but fail to do so LEC bill.

Senator Snowe warned against such attitude and demanded that it should change.

“With such an attitude on the part of the government, the citizens will also be encouraged to engage in power theft, and eventually undermine the effectiveness of the LEC Management,” Senator Snowe said.

The Bomi County lawmaker said his committee is holding numerous meetings with services providers and regulators in the energy sector, such as the Electricity Regulatory Commission, Ministry of Mines and Energy and the Liberia Electricity Corporation.

He said meetings will provide the committee with clear understanding of the challenges they are confronted with in providing electricity across the country.

Senator Snowe disclosed that the Senate is working out modality to ensure the installation or placement of LEC meter at the Capitol Building to enable them commence the payment of LEC Bills.

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