Electricity consumers in Freetown have decried the sharp increase in electricity tariffs which were instituted by the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority on July 1, 2022.
They said the 30 percent increase in tariffs was unjustified and not in tandem with the economic realities of the country where Sierra Leoneans are facing hardships.
They also accused the Authority of sabotaging the government taking into consideration that Sierra Leoneans will soon go to the polls.
They said most of the electricity consumers were exorbitantly charged despite the intermittent power supply. They urged the authorities concerned to, as a matter of urgency, look into their plight.
A residential consumer, Aminata Kamara, said she used to buy 92 units for Le150,000 (NLE150) but now she only got 58 units for Le150,000 (NLE150). She said that as a teacher she spends 20 percent of her salary on electricity to keep her freezer running and to light the 4 bulbs in her home. She said the increment was effected by the Authority without prior notice of the customers. “This is really disheartened. The government must do something about it or else it will impact them negatively, as election are just around the corner,” she said.
“Out salaries remain the same even though the prices of commodity have skyrocketed as result of the conflict in Ukraine and impact of COVID-19 which disrupted supply. The government should understand that the conflict and the coronavirus did not improve our salary. In fact, it made it worst because of the depreciation of the Leone and rising inflation. This is not rocket science, the government is familiar with our situation, but it does not care,” Aminata said.
A commercial consumer, Mustapha Koroma said with the current increment in electricity tariff he is virtually working EDSA. He said that the tariff will kill his business as 90% of his work is done with power.
He accused the Authorities of making life difficult for the average Sierra Leoneans who grabbling with the rising cost of living.
He appealed to the authorities to revisit the tariff to make life better for people.
The Minister of Energy Alhaji Kanja Sesay was quoted as saying that, An increase in electricity tariffs is inevitable as the cost of generating electricity has increased sharply. He made the comment when he was making the case for an increase in energy tariffs to the Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission.
He said that the tariffs are unavoidable due to rise in energy demand, fuel supply disruption, and the growing shortage fuel in the world market which have caused global energy prices to climb sharply.
Delivered By
Minister of Finance, Dennis K. Vandi said on June 25, 2022 while present the Supplementary Government Budget and Statement of Economic and Financial Policies For The Financial Year, 2022, that “In the case of electricity, the rise in the price of fuel hasled to an increase in the subsidies provided by Government to the energy sector. Reflecting the higher fuel prices, total subsidies to the energy sector are now estimated to increase to Le538 billion from Le122 billion in the original budget.”
By Alusine Sesay