Liberia: Businesses Face Collapse as Zowienta Power Crisis Deepens

ZOWIENTA, Bong County – Growing concerns are emerging among business owners and residents in Zowienta and neighboring communities as the persistent interruption of electricity continues to affect commercial activities, education, healthcare services, and household livelihoods across the region.

By Selma Lomax, [email protected]

Local leaders are now warning that unless immediate corrective measures are taken, the situation could trigger wider economic difficulties and undermine confidence in ongoing rural electrification initiatives.
Among those raising alarm is Menina Resort Chief Executive Officer William F. Kotee, who has intensified calls for authorities and stakeholders within the energy sector to prioritize the restoration of electricity to affected communities.
Kotee said the blackout has gone beyond being an inconvenience and has evolved into a major obstacle for local economic growth, especially for small and medium-sized

businesses that depend heavily on electricity to sustain daily operations.
Speaking on the impact of the crisis, Kotee noted that several business establishments are now struggling to remain operational due to mounting fuel expenses and declining revenues.
He explained that many entrepreneurs invested significant resources after electricity was introduced to the area earlier this year, expecting improved productivity and lower operational costs. According to him, those expectations have now been replaced by uncertainty as businesses are forced to rely on expensive alternatives to keep their doors open.
Kotee further emphasized that the outage is having a ripple effect throughout the local economy. He explained that guest houses, entertainment centers, cold storage facilities, shops, and other enterprises have reported losses resulting from spoiled goods, reduced customer turnout, and increased operational expenses. He warned that continued delays in restoring power could discourage future investments in the area and reverse gains made through recent infrastructure development efforts.

“The people of Zowienta embraced electrification as a symbol of progress and economic opportunity. Today, that hope is being tested because many businesses that planned for expansion are now struggling simply to survive. We cannot continue to speak about development while communities remain disconnected from essential services that support economic growth,” Kotee stated.

He added, “This issue requires urgent attention because every additional day without electricity places more pressure on families and entrepreneurs. The losses being recorded are substantial, and the longer the situation persists, the more difficult it becomes for businesses to recover. Restoring electricity is not only about turning on lights; it is about protecting jobs, supporting commerce, and preserving public confidence.”

Residents across the affected communities have also voiced concern over the social consequences of the outage. Several citizens disclosed that students are finding it difficult to study at night, while healthcare facilities and local businesses continue to incur additional costs in an effort to maintain basic services. Community members argue that the interruption has disrupted normal life and created hardships that many households are ill-equipped to absorb.

According to community members including Arthur Keyee, Jerry Kollie, Robertson Cooper, and others, electricity was available for only about two weeks before the area was plunged back into darkness.
The residents disclosed that many households and businesses were required to purchase electricity credits ranging from US$15, believing they would finally enjoy stable power for the first time.

“We were happy because this was the first time our community had electricity. Many of us spent our hard-earned money to recharge our meters, but now we have been left in darkness for months,” one resident lamented.
In a communication addressed to LEC Managing Director Mohammed M. Sherif, Kotee described the situation as a “severe and ongoing electricity crisis” that has plunged communities from Zowienta in District 1, Bong County, into total darkness for the past two months.

According to Kotee, the prolonged outage has inflicted serious economic hardship on residents and business owners, many of whom are struggling to survive due to the high cost of operating generators. He also warned that the absence of electricity and street lighting has increased security concerns across affected communities.

Kotee blamed the continued blackout on the failure of Jungle Energy Power (JEP), the company responsible for power distribution and maintenance in Bong County under a public-private partnership arrangement.
“Their continued inaction and lack of maintenance have left the grid completely non-functional for our region,” Kotee stated in his letter, while urging LEC to immediately assess the damaged transmission lines and transformers and compel JEP to restore electricity without further delay.

When contacted, Jungle Energy Power General Manager Aleyou Keita acknowledged the outage but insisted that the problem is beyond the company’s operational control.

Keita explained that the affected communities are connected to a regional transmission line linking Monrovia, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire, making the issue a matter for the Liberia Electricity Corporation.
“This is a national concern. We have already informed LEC about the problem and are currently awaiting their intervention,” Keita said.