Senator Snowe Advances Need For Gov't Institutions To Pay Electricity Bills

By K. Ericson Sayee

 Bomi County Senator, Edwin Snowe has emphasized the need for government institutions to begin paying electricity bills to the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) aimed at strengthening service delivery at the institution.  

 "If we don't take action right now, LEC will be like a white elephant," Senator Snowe said as he assumed that the LEC may not serve its purpose if government institutions do not pay taxes to the institution.

Making these assertions on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, on a local radio station in Monrovia, Senator Snowe stated that government institutions are the major problem to the LEC, stating that the electricity corporation loses about 14 percent of its revenue to government entities for not paying bills.

"GoL owns Liberia Petroleum Refining Corporation (LPRC), Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC), and Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA). So, you cannot go to the LPRC to say because this is government's vehicle , so put free gas in it,” he said.

Among key government institutions that are not paying bills to the LEC, Senator Snowe named the Legislature and Judiciary, while citing the need for the LEC to install prepaid meters at the Capitol Building and the Temple of Justice respectively.

According to him, Ivory Coast – a country that is supplying electricity to Liberia, pays electricity bills through its government's entities, stating that even in Ghana, government entities pay power bills as a means of maintaining and sustaining their electricity.

"Those people, their government agencies, are paying bills from their budget. So, we get current from them, and we don't want to pay. Power theft is another problem and accounts for 10 percent also," Senator Snowe, who is Chair of the committee on Energy and Hydrocarbon at the Liberian Senate said.

The Senator further revealed that he has engaged the Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate as well as members of the Senate to begin installing meters at the upper house, adding that all government agencies, ministries as well as the Judiciary and legislature have a budget for generator operations.

"We are making a proposal to the Pro-Tempore. I also plan to have a meeting tomorrow on this same issue. The Liberian Senate has decided that they should set an example to put meters at the Liberian Senate", the Bomi County's lawmaker narrated.

He added that to enhance and reboot the sector, he has held meetings with the CEO of LEC, Mr. Monie R. Captan, to find the way forward to mitigating and solving the grave issues that the corporation faces. Senator Snowe blamed the government in its entirety for not paying light bills but allocating a budget for generators fuel.

Meanwhile, Senator Snowe is  calling on all Liberians, including government officials, ex-officials of government, political actors and the citizens to unite in the process of nation building.

He averred that for any nation to realize its potential and to experience massive development in the country, there is a need to put Liberia first above any other affiliation, whether political, ethnic, or religious.