Liberia: Caldwell Residents Happy Over Re-electrification of Streetlights, But Want Electricity Stable - FrontPageAfrica

by · FrontPageAfrica

MONROVIA –Residents of the Township of Caldwell in Montserrado County have expressed happiness over the re-electrification of the streetlights, describing the move as an enhancement to  improve security and the free movement of goods and services in the night.

By Augustus D.R Bortue-augustus d.r bortue@frontpageafricaonline.com

The streets of Caldwell had been in darkness for several years until this year when the Government of Liberia(GoL) through the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) re-electrified them.     

The Caldwell residents, including the youth and elderly  told the FrontPage Africa(FPA) in an interview on Thursday,  May 7 that they are so happy for the re-electrification of the streetlights after the township streetlights had been off for several years, but called for stable electricity.

Samuel Toe, an elderly man, who lives in Caldwell New Georgia, said he is overwhelmed with joy to see streetlights back again.

‘‘ For years, we the residents of Caldwell  had walked in  the streets of Caldwell in darkness. Sometimes,  our belongings were stolen by the unscrupulous motorcyclists who ran away with them,’’ Mr. Toe, who said he is 75 years old, lamented.

Like Mr. Toe, Mary Wilson, who also lives in Caldwell New Georgia, said she could  not  believe her eyes to again see Caldwell Streetlights re-electrified.

‘‘At least, Caldwell is coming back to normalcy for the streetlights to regain its status. Right now, in the night, you can see the children and marketers moving here and there, going about playing and selling under the streetlights-what a good time,’’ Old Ma Wilson, 65 years old  stated while saluting President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for making them-residents of Caldwell to once again move freely in the streets during the night.

 ‘‘The streetlights are not always on. Sometime the streetlights are on  and sometimes they go. They are not regular. And this makes the  bad-bad things like stealing still happening during the night. If the streetlights are not stable, those unscrupulous motorcyclists  take advantage of it and steal from the pedestrians and marketers,’’ Emmanuel Nyankona, a resident of Samuka Town in Caldwell said.         

However, some youth of Caldwell while commending President Boakai for the  restoration of the streetlights called on him to make the electricity stable.

“We are happy for the re-electrification of the streetlights  but we  called on the President  to encourage the LEC to make electricity stable,’’ Emmanuel Nyankona, a resident of Samuka Town in Caldwell pointed out.  

‘‘The streetlights are not always on. Sometime the street lights are on  and sometimes they go. They are not regular. And this makes the  bad-bad things like stealing is still happening. If the street lights are not stable, those unscrupulous motor bike riders take advantage of it and steal from the pedestrians and marketers,’’ Mr. Nyankona told FPA.        

   Cecelia Weah, another resident of Caldwell, who lives at Thump’s Up Community,  buttressed Mr. Nyankona comments, saying the need to keep the electricity stable cannot be overstated.

“ I am joining the mounting calls for the government to make the electricity stable if we should enjoy the streetlights in Caldwell,’’ Madam Weah  added.   

 Several other residents of Caldwell said once the electricity is not stable, they will not enjoy the re-electrified streetlights  and hope that the LEC will  address the stability of the electricity  soon.   

Meanwhile, the Liberian government and the LEC are facing intense pressure regarding the stability of the power supply, acknowledging ongoing challenges while promising future improvements.

Persistent Outages:

Despite some improvements, many communities across Liberia continue to experience power outages, leading to complaints from citizens and businesses.

The government explained that recent power interruptions are partly due to technical issues and maintenance work on the CLSG regional transmission line that supplies power from Ivory Coast and Guinea.

Dry Season Strain:

The power supply is particularly strained during the dry season when water levels at the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant are low, reducing local generation capacity.

18-Month Goal:

The LEC has indicated that effective, long-term stabilization of the electricity supply is expected within 18 months, emphasizing the need for time to complete ongoing and planned infrastructure projects.

“100% Stable” Goal:

Government officials have expressed a commitment to achieving a 100% stable, 24-hour electricity supply for all Liberians within five years.

Immediate Solutions:

The government is working on securing 50 megawatts (MW) from Cote d’Ivoire and is developing a 100MW immediate, 300MW long-term, energy solution, including a 270MW hybrid project in Buchanan.

Warning to Officials:

Lawmakers have warned the LEC management to improve the power situation, threatening a “vote of no confidence” if stability is not achieved.

Key Projects Mentioned

Solar Expansion: Solar farms are being developed to supplement hydropower, particularly for the next dry season.

Mt. Coffee Repairs:

Efforts are ongoing to repair and expand the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant.

Observers note that while the current administration has made efforts to improve the situation, the system continues to struggle with capacity limitations and high demand.