Residents of Freetown municipality have in an interview conducted on Sunday, October 25, 2020, expressed dissatisfaction over the inconsistent power supply distributed by the Electricity Distribution Supply Authority (EDSA), the country’s main electricity distribution agency.
According to residents, power cuts have been constant in some communities and frequent in others. They complained that it deters livelihoods of thousands of people across the city, especially business owners who require electricity supply and homes.
Mariatu Koroma, a fishmonger residing at Kissy, who does her dealings at a market, says she has been experiencing huge losses in the past weeks due to inconsistent power supply by EDSA which has largely affected her business.
She said recent power cuts sometimes, and on certain days lasts for the whole of the day, and it affects her business a lot.
“I normally store my fish in three of the refrigerators that I have at home so that they will be best preserved for dealings, but in the past weeks, my fish go bad due to inconsistent electricity supply, and I can’t take them to the market for sale,” Koroma grumbles.
Ahmadu Bah, a resident of Sackville Street, has been experiencing outrageously inconsistent electricity supply which has affected their businesses a lot over the past days.
He owns a shop in which he sells cold drinks and sachet water, as well as many other items that require to be kept frozen or under constant refrigeration. He said that in the past three weeks there was low sale due to EDSA’s inconsistency in electricity distribution.
“A lot of people have stopped coming to buy water and drinks from my shop; they grumble that my items are not as cold as they want it. Therefore they go to other shops that use generators to cold their drinks and sachets of water,” he laments.
The Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA), on Tuesday October 27, 2020, tendered an apology to its customers and residents of Freetown for the poor supply of electricity over the past two or three weeks.
EDSA says, “It notes with great concern the many challenges that have blighted its quality supply of electricity, which include but not limited to prolonged outages, erratic power supply, low voltages and evacuation and transmission difficulties.” The authority admitted that its transmission and distribution infrastructure is indeed technically challenged.
The Authority further noted that it had been overwhelmed with these challenges which in its estimation have had some discomforting and frustrating impact on customer’s quest to enjoy uninterrupted and quality electricity supply.
“EDSA however wishes to inform all that it has never been oblivious of the inconveniences that the current situation has brought to bear on customers and the general public and further assures all that work is being done to ensure that the situation is normalized.”
The authority encourages customers and the public to continue to report all issues relating to electricity by calling the Authority’s Call Centre on 672, and that customers are assured of prompt responses or actions.
“EDSA sincerely apologizes to all, continues to crave on the patience and understanding of all and reiterates its commitment to providing quality and affordable electricity supply to all,” the Authority reiterated.
By Hasbin Shaw
30/10/2020. ISSUE NO: 7940