By Charles Gbayor, maorethason1997@gmail.com
HARPER, Liberia- Confusion has ensued days after citizens in Pleebo, Maryland County were asked to manage their own electricity in the district.
The locals are said to be divided as there are several complaints over the recent appointment of a three-man committee set-up by the Statutory District Superintendent.
The three-man committee, which was set up to control the electricity in the district; includes Dennis Weah, Secretary General; Lincoln S. Wesseh, Chair; Thomas K. Nyemah, Co-chair and Mr. Wallace Dennis.
They are currently managing the electricity situation in Harper District and other parts of this souheastern County.
Mr. Dennis was recommended to control the current situation in the County during the administration of the former County Superintendent Betsy Kuoh Toe, until it can be turned over to national government officially.
But since the electricity management was turned over to Mr. Dennis, there have been several complaints from citizens in the County, involving the intervention of Pleebo Sodoken Statutory District Superintendent.
The long-running conflict between residents of Maryland County and the local Management of the Liberia Electricity Corporation here over non-payment of electricity bills, was based on the issue of community dwellers purchasing two transformers on their own. The cost of the transformer was put at US$20,000, with the local LEC management demanding them to pay bills, something that has sparked row in the county.
The Director of Rural Electrification, Mr Moses Farley is yet to react to this situation.
Since the conflicts over current bills payment in the County, local authorities have not been involved mostly until Friday, December 26, 2020, when Technical Staffs of (CEPA) were collected and placed behind Bar by Pleebo Sodoken Statutory District Superintendent.
According to Superintendent Alysious William, his actions was based on the act of disrespects being carried on by LEC or CEPA Staffs during the visit of the Speaker in County.
He further that before the Christmas day celebration, a copy of complained from staffers of Creway Energy Power Association( CEPA) in line with Liberia City Cooperation (LEC) Maryland Chapter, was sent to his office concerning their salaries increments, Current bills payments, safety equipment, among others.
He added that in their communication, they have noted that if their request are not timely address by citizens and their head office in Monrovia, they could have taken order actions in the County; something that has led to then placed the County in total darkness for several days.
Their actions were carried on during the recent visit of the house Speaker, prompting the Statutory Superintendent to ordered their arrest and placed them behind bar including the car of Mr. Wallace Dennis, the team manager.
After they were arrested and jailed by the Superintendent of the district, there was disagreement among citizens that led to the intervention of the County Superintendent George A. Prowd.
Superintendent Prowd intervention have led to a one day Mass citizens meeting at the Pleebo City Hall; and it was well attended by some citizens including the Muslim Community, Christian Community, local authorities, direct users of Current, Mr. Wallace Dennis and his Technical Staffs among orders.
The meeting were concluded with local Authority and Citizens of Pleebo Sodoken district been asked to control the current in the district.
Noting that; “i have listened to several complaints from Citizens of Pleebo concerning this current business, therefore I am informing you as local Authority of the district to set-up a committee that will control the current the County Superintendent stressed.
Although, the district authority were asked to set-up their own committee in order to manage the current, there’s still confusion as who should set-up the committee.
Few days ago, several citizens began calling on a local community radio stations concerning the action of the District Superintendent in setting-up a committee to manage the current, rather than the City Mayor who is the direct head of the City.
They stressed that such action of the District Superintendent, has the propensity to undermine the smooth working relationship in the district; noting that the electricity is directly used by residents of the city not the whole District.
The citizens disclosed that the issue of who to set-up a committee in order to control the district current after it has been turned over to the local Authority, has been another major concern that needs critical attention.
Though the district authorities haven’t come up with other names after the previous names introduced by the Statutory Superintendent were rejected by citizens, the new technical team headed by Brown Y. Dennis is calling on the Citizens to pay their maintenance fees directly at his office.
It has been gathered that on Monday, August 10, 2020, the President of the Maryland County Youth Association Thomas Kuma, said it is clear that citizens in the county shouldn’t pay bills, other than maintenance fees. The power being used in Maryland County is under the Poverty Reduction Strategy of the former administration, arguing that it has not been turned over formally to the Weah administration.
According to him, since the Ghanaian electrification group planted light poles and installed primary or tension wire, no company has won bid for the power distribution.
He claimed former Maryland County Superintendent, Betsy Kouh Toe only asked Mr. Wallace Dennis to serve as caretaker, adding that though Mr. Dennis hasn’t won a bid.
This paper is also furthering up to know where is the money collected for bills are going even when the National Chairman of the Coalition for Democratic Change Claims that current bills payments money is allegedly not going into the government Revenue.