A recent unprecedented power outage in Nimba County has raised concerns among residents, especially business people. The Liberia Electricity Corporation’s Nimba Grid, operated by Jungle Energy Power (JEP), has been experiencing frequent and unannounced outages since mid-September, causing inconvenience to business owners and damage to electrical appliances.
Some victims are angry over the continual outrage, blaming the management of Jungle Energy Power for not doing enough to solve the problem.
“This is unacceptable. This should not be happening to us. We deserve the best of services from the provider,” a resident of the city told this reporter. “We used to praise the JEP for the consistency of electricity under the Nimba grid, but what is happening is even worse as expected.”
“All the time the electricity is off, with no notice, it’s really bad,” he added
Some residents speculate that the outage may be linked to outstanding debts the Liberian government owes Cote D’Ivoire Electricity or the Ivorian government. Business people are more worried that the situation will be even more terrible during the dry season when the water at the hydro drops.
JEP has expressed being overwhelmed by customer complaints and financial losses due to the ongoing outages, attributing the situation to factors beyond their control, such as major repairs on the power line in Ivory Coast.
The Public Relation Officer Zawolo Bamapka told this paper at some points when there are major repairs along the line in Ivory Coast, the JEP can be informed, but the recent outage is unprecedented and beyond the JEP control.
It is not clear whether the outage situation is also affecting the Ivorian side, but the Daily Observer established from some residents in Danané, a nearby Ivorian city, that there had been no outage in the city and its surroundings.
“What we are getting is that the power outage is only around the bordering towns and Liberia,” he said.
Ganta is bracing for new infrastructures, including factories, hotels, multipurpose business centers as well as shopping malls, but in the absence of those investments, it is likely to undermine the smooth operation of these businesses.
The 200-store mall built by Businessman Pharaze Dekpah is at the helm of opening to the public, the issue of stable and affordable electricity remains a challenge.
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Efforts by this reporter to get the view of CIE in the Ivory Coast did not materialize.
The Nimba grid of the power under the management of JEP since 2016 covered Bahn, Saclepea, all the towns from the Ivorian border to as far as Bong County.
Tappita is connected to the Grand Gedeh grid, but it is yet to be known which is managing the grid from the LEC as in the case of JEP.
Meanwhile, Goal #7 of the Sustainable Development Goals calls for clean affordable energy for all by 2030, but it is not clear whether Liberia will ever meet up with the deadline.
The affordability of electricity meters and other accessories from local electricity to get connected still remains a challenge for many because of the cost attached.
The EU funded powerline, believed to have come from the Republic of Ghana, constructed by UTE/CLSG is yet to be connected to the local time to provide the needed electricity.
