By Nasratu Kargbo
Residents in Freetown have expressed their disappointment over the growing inconsistency in power distribution across various areas in the city that reportedly affected livelihoods.
Speaking to Politico on the 2nd February 2023, a Kissy Community resident Maseray Kanu said the intermittent electricity supply has affected all sectors and that for the past two weeks homes have been experiencing blackouts, leading to food going bad in refrigerators.
Kanu said that she visited the Rokupa Government Hospita and found parts of the facility in darkness with a few wards lit up by solar. She was told by some people that during blackouts, the hospital’s generator is only switched on when there is surgery to be done.
She added that the power cut also affects her work at the office, and that with the high cost of fuel, their institution cannot afford the budget.
“I depend on power to support my family,” said Salamatu Kamara, a businesswoman who sells drinks, water, and ginger beer at Low-cost in the Eastern part of Freetown.
The woman who said the business has been her only source of income over the years, spoke of drop in sales over the last two weeks because her drinks are not chilled .
She called on the stakeholders' concerned to fix the problem, explaining that she is in desperate need of consistent power to support her family.
A college student Farouk Bangura who lives in Juba also shares his experience about the situation, saying that the light has been very inconsistent and that it has greatly affected his studies.
He said that the intermittent power supply has forced him to readjust his study schedule as it has become impossible for him to study at night.
“It is so frustrating, I pay two hundred and fifty Leones every month to get light, and now I cannot enjoy the service. It is our socio-economic right,” he said.
The Head of Communications at the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) Sahr Nepor told Politico that the problem had been fixed on the 1st of February 2023.
EDSA’s management issued a press release last month highlighting some areas that will experience a blackout.
The EDSA notice explained that they were experiencing major problems with the interconnectors within the Freetown distribution network.
It further explained that the institution is challenged in ensuring the smooth supply and distribution of electricity to certain areas in the West and East parts of Freetown.
The areas they highlighted were Kingtom Falcon Bridge 1 and 3, Brookfields 1, Congo Cross, Wilkinson Road, Kissy Village, and Eastern Police amongst others.
However, other areas also reported experiencing power outages.
Copyright © 2023 Politico Online (03/02/23)
