Liberia is said to have received a major boost in its energy sector as part of efforts by the government of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to provide stable electricity to the citizenry.
Presidential Press Secretary Kula Fofana disclosed that the Government of Ivory Coast has agreed to double the supply of electricity to Liberia.
During the reign of former President George Manneh Weah, the Ivorian Government was supplying about 25 megawatts of electricity to Liberia. But this has been doubled, according to Madam Fofana, based on the recent visit of President Boakai to Ivory Coast.
She told Executive Mansion Reporters last Friday that the Ivorian Government has already begun supplying an additional 25 megawatts of electricity to Liberia bringing the total electricity grid from that country to 50 megawatts.
She revealed that during the daytime (from 6 am to 6 pm) Ivory Coast will supply 50 megawatts of electricity to Liberia while 25 megawatts will be supplied at night.
Madam Fofana said the president has mandated the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) to ensure that the increase in electricity supply has a trigger-down effect on the population.
She said the stability in the supply of electricity supply to the people is dear to the president’s heart, for which he visited Ivory Coast to appeal for increased power supply.
It can be recalled that during his visit to Cote d’Ivoire early last month, President Boakai expressed his unwavering support for the sustainability of the landmark CLSG (Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea) project, which connects the four nations with the flow of electricity.
President Boakai assured that his government will provide support to LEC to make sure that it is viable to carry out robust connection exercises to more communities, including implementing the rural electrification program.
Stressing that access to electricity is vital for a good standard of living, the Liberian leader urged Liberians to pay for the power they use.
“The people of Liberia need to know that this is not free. The more the people become cautious about paying, the better we will continue to enjoy the facility,” President Boakai emphasized.
He acknowledged Liberia’s indebtedness to Cote d’Ivoire but assured that his government would exert every effort to settle all arrears thereof. He urged LEC to implement a robust exercise to ensure the power is available and accessible, reiterating that the electricity is not free.
The Liberian leader lauded the TRANSCO CLSG General Manager and his team for the remarkable job of executing the CLSG project.
