BARRIKEN TOWNSHIP, Maryland County — Barriken Township and five surrounding communities have for the first time received a 150-kilowatt electricity transformer, marking a significant step toward providing power to the area.
By Peter P. Toe, Jr.
The transformer was officially donated on Sunday, March 15 through an initiative led by Eric Wlea Giko, who recently accepted a petition from citizens urging him to contest the 2029 Senatorial Election in Maryland County.
Presenting the equipment on behalf of Mr. Giko, Alex Bah Davis, Chair of Mr. Giko’s local office, told residents that the donation fulfills a promise made following a request from the community.
According to Mr. Davis, Mr. Giko had initially broken ground to construct a town hall for Barriken, but residents instead appealed for electricity since high-tension power lines already pass over the town without providing any benefit.
“It is in this light that Mr. Giko has come to response to your request,” Mr. Davis said.
He reaffirmed Mr. Giko’s commitment to improving living conditions across Maryland County, noting that his development efforts extend beyond the Pleebo-Sodoken District to all four statutory districts in the county.
He revealed that the total cost of procuring the transformer amounted to US$20,457.7.
“Today we are here to present this transformer. This is part of many projects and donations that Mr. Giko is carrying on in the county,” he added.
Receiving the transformer on behalf of residents, Barriken Township Commissioner, Alfred Dossen described the occasion as historic for the township and nearby communities.
“Today is a glorious and joyous day for the people of Barriken and the surrounding towns. I want to extend appreciation to Hon. Eric Giko and his team,” Mr. Dossen said.
He recalled that residents had long hoped to benefit from electricity when power transmission lines were extended from Côte d’Ivoire into Liberia under the regional electricity project.
Despite being located along a major road and having electric cables passing directly over the town, Barriken had never been connected to the grid.
Also speaking at the program, Pleebo District Inspector Madam Christiana Walker thanked Mr. Giko for the initiative and urged residents not to politicize the project.
“Don’t play politics out of this transformer. Let it be installed for the good of this community and surrounding communities around here,” she cautioned.
Authorities of LibEnergy, the company currently managing electricity services in the area, have indicated that installation will begin soon.
Community leaders further disclosed that the transformer will be formally turned over to LibEnergy at a later date to enable official installation and the connection of electricity to Barriken and nearby towns.
Eric Wlea Giko previously contested the 2020 and 2023 senatorial elections in Maryland County but was unsuccessful.
In 2025, a citizens’ group operating under the banner Marylanders United for Change petitioned him to contest the 2029 elections, a call he later accepted.
Since accepting the petition, the two-time senatorial candidate has embarked on several infrastructure and community support initiatives across the county.
The donation of the 150-kilowatt transformer marks a major milestone toward electrifying Barriken Township and surrounding communities, which residents say will significantly improve livelihoods, businesses and social services in the area.
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