By Hajaratu Kalokoh
Businesspeople across Freetown have accused the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) of exploiting them with their newly introduced tariff system. Some business owners say the charges are exorbitant and they warned that the increment is threatening the viability of their investment.
Mohamed Koroma, General Manager at Lumley Fast Food Restaurant, told Politico that prior to the new tariff he used Le500, 000 worth of unit for a week but now the same amount just lasts for two days.
“The new EDSA tariff is very terrible. They are robbing us in broad day light. Currently, if you purchase Le500,000 worth of unit, they will deduct 230 units and you will be left with 270 units. Before now, when we purchased Le500,000 units, it normally last for one week. But now the Le500,000 only takes 2 days.”
Koroma said he had made inquiries about what went wrong, and he was told that EDSA was deducting “service charges”.
“What are they servicing? So, I had to make inquiries on this service charges, they say it’s meant for NRA, GST. Service charge should be deducted once in a month but within four days they have deducted 460, unit.”
On December 1st this year, EDSA introduced its new tariff system. The overwhelming argument behind the development was the rising cost in buying and supplying electricity.
Head of the Call Center at EDSA, Sarah Thomas Kamara, told Politico that the increase came about because EDSA had been losing out on the sale of electricity.
“We are buying approximately 1, 500 per unit and we were selling on the average to the public 1,300 unit which was actually not fair to us. We were unable to meet some of our demand because we were losing out. So, we had to make our proposal to the Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission,” she said.
She added: “What is deducted every purchase is the 15% GST on electricity by the National Revenue Authority and GST is deducted per purchase.”
Manager of Rush Hair Studio at Aberdeen, Boima Kumba, made a similar complaint when she spoke to Politico. Like Koroma, he is spending three times more on electricity. Boima said his own problem is compounded because the voltage of the electricity supply in her area affects her appliances. This means Boima spends more on fuel.
“The new tariff is expensive. I am using Le100, 000 worth of unit per day, even with this I must put on my generator. Before now I normally purchase Le50, 000 units which used to serve me a day or a day and half.”
He added: “This tariff is affecting my business greatly because I am spending too much money on light. With or without work I am purchasing credit. I prefer generator to EDSA. EDSA is expensive and the electricity power supply or voltage is very low. Sometimes the voltage cannot even put on my air condition, let alone my other appliances like hair dryer, and others.
In EDSA’s defense, Sarah said they had been working to fix the anomaly in Aberdeen.
“We have series of problems with Aberdeen community and EDSA has been working assiduously to make sure that the power to that area is up to standard and they are working on it. Whenever they have those problems, they should call the call center line and we will make sure it is rectified promptly,” she said.
Koroma said government should look at immediately reviewing the new tariff system specially to save the cost on businesses.
“I want to call on government to review their contract agreement with EDSA, because this new tariff is affecting our businesses. They are deducting 230 units every two days. If this is done once in a month, people will understand but every two days, it really heartrending. Now I am trying to project how much will I use for a month,” he said.
Businesses in Sierra Leone are already threatened by rising inflation and an unstable value of the Leone against the US dollar. EDSA’s new tariff has now complicated what was already a difficult situation for them.
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