The Chairman of the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC) has told the Senate Committee on Mines and Energy that the energy sector stands at risk if the government fails to provide funding.
Dr. Lawrence D. Sekajipo pointed out that if the sector cannot support itself internally, it will fail. He is calling on the government to fund the sector of the country.
According to him, if power outages should be addressed, the availability of funds cannot be overemphasized. He believes that government’s support will help the sector stand on its own and not depend on external help.
The LERC boss told senators that the energy sector cannot provide electricity without water; as such, the government should create avenues that will attract independent power providers in order to buttress their efforts domestically.
In further clarification on the power outages, the Chief Executive Officer of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), Monie R. Captan says the institution has limited resources but said it has incurred in lots of spending.
According to Captan, the administration inherited lots of debts as far back during the regime of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf when now President Joseph Nyuma Boakai was the Vice president of the country.
He disclosed that LEC management has made significant efforts in paying their external counterparts, despite limited support from the government.
He stated that the power outages is a result of several constraints being faced by its external supplier Ivory Coast.
These constraints, Captan noted has led to Ivory Coast reducing its supply not only to Liberia, but also to other countries under its partnership.
He named Mail, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, among others countries that are affected by the unusual dry season, which he explained is causing the outages.
