By Augustine Octavius
In the wake of increasing incidence of power theft, the management of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) is considering petitioning the Legislature for the establishment of a special court to prosecute power theft cases and debtors deliberately failing to pay the entity for services.
The Chief Executive Officer of LEC, John Ashley disclosed that the commercial loses have reached 49 percent of the electricity supply to the public, government entities and private customers owing the power company well over US$5 million.
Addressing a press conference in Monrovia on Monday, Ashley said loses incurred in terms of customers refusing to the pay for the electricity consumed account for 11 percent.
He explained to Journalists that commercial loses are those incurred as a result of theft of electricity, bypassing of meters, non-payment of bills and illegal connections.
The LEC Chief Executive Officer said the state-owned power company is currently in a very serious financial situation.
He therefore said the Corporation is also planning to engage the new Inspector General of the Liberia National Police (LNP) purposely to set up an anti power theft task force.
Ashley also said that he is discussing with his public relations and legal expects in order to launch a massive public awareness on power theft and legal battle against culprits.
The LEC executive put the debt owed the company by post-pay customers at US$5 million, with debtors now given an ultimatum to pay or risk being taken to court.
The LEC management has meanwhile disclosed the names of some of the debtors in huge arrears with the national power company.
They include the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC), which owes LEC US$1.3 million; the Liberian government US$2.2 million, while private customers owe a little over US$2 million.