Liberia: Bishop Kortu Brown Blasts Government for Failing To Address Stable Electricity Supply

MONROVIA – The President of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC), Bishop Kortu K. Brown, has blasted at the Government of Liberia (GOL) for its failure to address the unstable and inadequate supply of electricity in Monrovia and other parts of the country.

Bishop Brown is also the General Overseer of the New Water in the Desert Assembly in Brewerville, outside Monrovia.

Founded in 1982, the LCC is an ecumenical Christian organization that comprises of churches and other religious groups operating in Liberia.

Since the commencement of the dry season in Liberia, the LEC has been catching hell to live up to its statutory tasks and responsibilities of providing cheap, stable, and affordable electricity to households and businesses in the country.

It has reverted to shedding by supplying electricity to communities one after the other due to low water lines at the Mount Coffee Hydro Plant in Lousiana, outside Monrovia

Bishop Brown observed that there are lots of cries in various communities across the capital about the poor performance of the LEC.

He noted that these concerns being raised by citizens and others range from power theft to the poor management of the corporation.

His assertions were contained in a statement released in Monrovia on Wednesday, February 23.

Bishop Brown estimated that “people are stealing about 60% of the electricity generated in the country”.

He emphasized that it remains “frustrating for ordinary Liberians and the donors who put so much money into ensuring that the corporation works”.

He observed that the LEC has not been able to meet with the huge demand for electricity in the country.

The LCC’s President added that despite the situation, Liberians and others should desist from power theft.

“When you illegally tap into the LEC lines you rob the country of revenue and you undermine the viability of the corporation and you also discourage our development partners”.

“The haves and haves-not are stealing electricity thereby robbing the country of an effective power generating agency. The most disappointing one is the inability of the government to adequately and structurally address this poor state of our power management system, publicly”.

 “Most time nothing is an emergency in Liberia. The fact that LEC cannot effectively function should be a national emergency. The lack of electricity affects businesses, revenue generation, public functions and all aspects of basic life. We shouldn’t threat it as a normal problem. Customers are complaining about the inadequate supply of electricity. People should publicly know what the government is doing to address the situation”.

Bishop Brown indicated that the way the government remarkably mobilized the majority of the country to participate in the Bicentennial celebration, it should do the same thing with many of these challenges, including the unstable supply of electricity.

 “They are addressable. What we need to do as a country is to mobilize both the public and private sectors to help address some of these challenges confronting us. The problem of LEC is like the “ZOGOS” problem. It is a national emergency. We must mobilize all Liberians to address it. The government must take the lead”.

He stressed the need for government to appoint a Task Force headed by the Vice President of Liberia and commit initial funds and thereafter, call on development partners to help Liberia and its citizens address the challenge with the at-risk youth.

“Without a clear and implementable strategy, the problem will not go away,” the LCC President warned”.