Monrovia – For the first time in decades, Grand Gedeh County would be experiencing stable twenty-four hours electricity.
Maryland and Nimba are the two counties currently benefitting from the West Africa Power Pool and on Tuesday, Grand Gedeh became the newest beneficiary.
There’s been an outcry in the public why Grand Gedeh hasn’t benefitted from power pool but with the lighting of Zwedru, it has been laid to rest.
The external relations and corporate coordinator of Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), Adolphus Scott, disclosed the city turned on the lights on Tuesday.
“The corporation has electrified Zwedru – the city was light up on Tuesday, April 25, 2017, with dancing in the southeastern city,” Scott said.
He explained that the electrification of Zwedru is part of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s quest to provide affordable electricity to Liberians across the country.
President Sirleaf recently visited Grand Gedeh and River Gee Counties as part of a nationwide tour.
Scott noted that the electrification of the city by the LEC was executed under the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP) Cross Border Electrification Project.
WAPP is intended to provide access to electricity services for border communities toward enabling poverty alleviation and wealth creation.
Currently, Scott disclosed that an 8 MW power from Ivory Coast is supplying electricity to 60,000 persons from Nimba, Grand Gedeh and Maryland counties under the WAPP project, which is funded by the EU.
He disclosed that the Nimba and Grand Gedeh projects have been commissioned while plans are underway to launch the Maryland Project, although there is electricity in Harper, Maryland County.
Scott indicated that until Tuesday, April 25, 2017, there was a major problem with the lines providing electricity to Zwedru City and other parts of Grand Gedeh.
He disclosed President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf mandated the LEC to restore power to Zwedru within a period of seven days by reconditioning the 72 KM line from Toe Town to Zwedru City.
He said a team of electricians from the LEC worked tirelessly for days and nights to revamp the line and restore power to Zwedru.
He lauded the people of Grand Gedeh for supporting the team from the LEC during the restoration of the lines.
Scott thanked LEC Managing Director Foday Soko Sackor for ensuring the restoration of power to Zwedru City.