Gbarnga, Bong County – Frustrated residents of Sugar Hill Community Quarters 2 and 5 in Gbarnga are demanding immediate intervention from Jungle Energy Power (JEP) over what they describe as persistent low voltage and repeated outages in their area.
By Selma Lomax/[email protected]
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, community elder Josephus Doemeyan said the electricity problems began shortly after their connection to JEP’s power grid, blaming the poor service on a malfunctioning and outdated transformer.
“The transformer they installed is old,” Doemeyan said. “We told them from the beginning that it wasn’t working properly. Since it was installed, it has never met our electricity needs.”
Residents displayed video footage showing an electric regulator receiving only 120 volts, far below the standard 220 volts typically required for household appliances. The result, they said, is frequent damage to appliances and a general inability to rely on the power supply.
Despite repeatedly notifying Jungle Energy Power about the issue, the residents say the company has failed to address their concerns. Now, they are threatening to stage a peaceful protest in front of JEP’s Gbarnga office to draw attention from company leadership and the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission.
“If they won’t listen to us, we’ll protest,” a spokesperson said. “We also deserve stable electricity. Protesting is the only way to get the attention of JEP and the county authorities.”
When contacted, JEP General Manager Alieu Keita acknowledged that the company is receiving low voltage from its supplier in Ivory Coast, which may be contributing to the issue. However, he questioned the claim that the problem is more severe in Sugar Hill than in other communities.
Keita called for calm and assured residents that the company is working toward a timely resolution of the situation.
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