Electricity tariff increased to 72% by EDSA

By Joseph Puvandi

Commentary

Quite recently, a good number of deprived Sierra Leoneans who are suffering from broad daylight theft in the hands of the Electricity Distribution and Supply Agency(EDSA) by the inconsiderable increase in the tariff from 64.9units for NLe 100 worth of top up being bought, to 18.3units of the same NLe 100 worth of credits being bought. It had been 64.9units for NLe 100 credits bought but since the inception of this current regime, the tariff keeps fluctuating unfavourably on the side of customers who are finding it extremely difficult to afford energy. The bone of contention among proverbial Sierra Leoneans is the fact that EDSA is not maintaining a fixed pattern of tariff. In recent times, 20.6units was apportioned to customers who purchase NLe 100 credits. Wickedly, it has been reduced again to 18.3units of the same NLe 100 credits being bought and no one knows what would happen tomorrow. The analyses above are for those who are using household prepaid metres. Business people who are using commercial metres are going through hell. That is another subject to be deliberated on. It is a story for another day.

The Electricity Distribution and Supply Agency(EDSA) which is the hub charged with the responsibility of generating electricity supply across the country, has been depriving quite a good number of Sierra Leoneans who have been buying credits out of their hard earned income but not enjoying the facility at all.

EDSA Customers often experience inconsistent electricity supply due to several factors such as poor management, insufficient power distribution issues and failing to prioritize strategic business locations that are supposed to be making huge sum of money for the government to meet its daily and monthly expenses but unfortunately, it seems as if they are not up to the task.. Frequent power outages, disrupting local businesses, homes and daily activities are national challenges faced by the deprived Masses. As a result, many homes’ appliances are destroyed and lives are being lost due to the frequent flip flopping of energy.

What makes the matter worse is the fact that electricity tariffs in Sierra Leone are considered high especially for average income earners, who are finding it extremely difficult to afford. Devoid of the challenges encountered to meet their energy needs, they are going the extra miles to ensure that they have light. Quite a good number are using energy supplied to sustain livelihoods. This places a financial burden on household and businesses, often leading to non-payment or illegal connections out of frustration. At the expense of this, customers who purchase these tariffs find it difficult to access this facility based on inconsistent electricity supply.

Many customers also face difficulty in reporting faults or getting timely responses from EDSA’s customer service. This result in prolonged periods without electricity when outages occur, exacerbating frustrations. The electricity infrastructure, including transmission lines and transformers, are old and poorly maintained. This results in inefficiencies, voltage fluctuation and inability to meet increasing demand.

Power theft is a significant challenge. It is so because some unscrupulous individuals sometimes tap into the electricity grid illegally, leading to losses for EDSA and reduced quality of service for paying customers. By and large, that should not serve as an excuse for the constant misbehavior of EDSA. The skyrocketed tariffs imposed by EDSA on the suffering Masses must correspond to quality services but it is disheartening that the opposite is happening and the affected people have no better alternative rather than crying and babbling like babies and look up to the Super Natural Being for rescue. In the past, when a customer buys NLe 100 worth of credits, he or she used to get 64.9 units but it has been drastically reduced to 20.8units using the same purchasing power(money at hand). The offensive increase in tariffs is greatly affecting households and businesses in Sierra Leone, especially the capital city, Freetown.

Moreover, there are recommendations, if implemented will yield good outcome. Viz; EDSA should invest in upgrading transmission lines, substations, and transformers to reduce outages that will accommodate growing demand. This includes partnering with international organization for funding and expertise and adequate management and effective monitoring to ensure that the funds are adequately utilized for the desired purpose.

EDSA should set up better customer service platform including online reporting systems, to ensure that faults are resolved quickly. Establishing a feedback loop that can improve customer satisfaction and transparency.

To prevent infrastructural failure, EDSA needs maintenance schedule. This includes inspections of transformer lines and substations, ensuring they operate effectively and efficiently.

Stay focussed on the Indigenes Newspaper for subsequent publications on this national issue that is debarring development.