MONROVIA – ESBI Engineering & Facility Management running of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) was filled with contentions, especially amid concerns that there were Liberians with the competence to run the facility, but little could be done about it – their contract was under the auspices of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) as part of the Mount Coffee Hydro Power Plant Rehabilitation Project.
In late 2017 the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) announced a Management Services Contract (MSC) with ESB International. The constituted the successful conclusion of a two-year process that began in October 2016 with the ratification of the US$257 million grant to the Government of Liberia, by the United States Government through the MCC.
But their three-year contract has finally come to an end, but the company appears to be relaxed and still in charge of the running of the Corporation – something that has drawn the attention of Grand Bassa Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence.
Senator Kangar-Lawrence brought this to the attention of the Senate Pro-Tempore, Albert Chie, citing sub-clause 2.2 of ESBI contract with the Government of Liberia which states the commencement date as January 8, 2018 while sub-clause 2.3 states that “unless terminated in accordance with clause 24 (Default and Termination), this contract shall be in effect until the third anniversary of the commencement date”.
Accordingly, the third anniversary of the commencement date of this contract as spelt out in sub-clause 2.3 on the duration of the contract, is January 8, 2021.
“Mr. President Pro-tempore and distinguished colleagues, I herewith solicit the support of Plenary for urgent intervention into this matter, by citing the relevant authorities of the Liberia Electricity Corporation to appear before this body and provide appropriate answers as to why they are illegally operating with ESBI Engineering & facility management limited without a valid contract,” she stated.
What ESBI Role
The MCC funded LEC Management Service Contract defined the role of ESBI at senior and middle management levels in the LEC.
ESBI was tasked with the responsibility of increasing new connections; reduction of aggregate technical and commercial losses; reduction of operational expenditure against KWh hour sold and reduction of system interruptions (SAIDI).
ESBI was also be responsible for several key deliverables, which included: building the capacity of local Liberian managers and staff through a structured and comprehensive training and development program (that will take place both here in Liberia and in Europe), that will ensure the creation of a succession management resource pool.
From this resource pool, a Liberian counterpart staff team will in due course be selected on merit and appointed to work as counterparts to the ESBI management team. This will ensure that when the ESBI contract expires, a trained and experienced Liberian management team is in place and capable of assuming all aspects of the management of LEC. The selection of this counterpart team on merit is core to LEC’s succession plan to ensure the sustainability and ongoing viability of all LEC’s business operations in the best interests of the Government of Liberia and the ordinary people of Liberia.