Citizens protest poor services from LEC, JEP

Tension is brewing between aggrieved residents of Hope Village Community in Ganta, Nimba County and the Management of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), and the Management of Jungle Energy Power over power distribution.

According to aggrieved residents, the managements of both LEC and JEP are allegedly using 2 by 6 planks as light poles to connect customers, posing danger to lives. Samuel Dahn, a resident of Hope Village Community, laments that since they subscribed to the entities, managements have allegedly failed to provide regular power.

Other residents explain that since 2016 the Managements of the Liberia Electricity Corporation and the Jungle Energy Power have allegedly failed to improve the planks being used as light poles.

During a tour of the community, this paper observes 2 by 6 planks planted as poles to electrify homes of residents. “My brother this is a death trap for us because at any time when these light poles drop due to heavy downpour, disaster may occur in this community”, another complains.

When the LEC Management in Ganta was contacted, authorities there declined to comment. But the Management of Jungle Energy Power, Mr. Floyd Tomah says everything was being done to address the plight of the residents of Hope Village Community.

Mr. Tomah notes that before his organization took over provision of cross border electricity in Nimba County, there were illegal connections of residents. The Jungle Energy Power CEO continues that all communities of Ganta will be connected with electricity in the shortest possible time.

Tomah says plans are underway to replace the plank poles, which were erected prior to his company taking over. The JEP CEO describes the poles as illegal connections, but the entity continues to collect electricity bills from residents.

By Franklin Doloquee, Nimba