By Sorie Ibrahim Fofanah
As part of plans to curb electricity theft in Sierra Leone, the Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay Ph.D. has disclosed plans for a review of the Act that would ensure ‘aggressive’ penalties are categorized based on electricity crimes committed.
Sesay made this statement to journalists in a weekly press conference held by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 3rd October this year.
“We are trying to review the Electricity Act that will state all the different categories of electricity crimes, and suggest punishments that will be taken to cabinet,’’ Sesay said. He maintained that the current penalty for electricity crime (50 million Leones or 5 years Imprisonment) is not much, adding “electricity theft in some countries is a big state crime.’’
He said with the increase in electricity tariff, they would be more vigilant with the issue of electricity theft.
Sesay said they have become ‘more aggressive’ with regards to electricity theft, and that they had made some arrests a few days ago. ’’Just two days ago, we arrested two people from within who were conniving with outsiders,’’ adding that they had sacked two staff already.
He maintained that they had made several attempts to curb electricity theft.
Kanja however said they set up a Presidential Task Force that comprised the military, police, and Office of National Security (ONS) that were doing raids, but that they reached a point and found that the operation was not effective, adding that EDSA are now going out to do raids because they feel they are ‘losing much of revenue.’
In his statement, the Director General, of Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission, Emmanuel Mannah said the Electricity Distribution Supply Authority (EDSA) tariff would be reversed if communities ‘reduce’ electricity theft.
“No sooner we all come together to make sure to reduce the theft, EDSA will revisit the tariff and bring it down,’’ Mannah said.
He said every time the Regulatory Commission reverses electricity tariff, it goes with conditions, noting those conditions are what they monitor through what he termed as ‘utility.’ He noted that their major concern is energy theft, encouraging communities to serve as watchdogs.
He stated many consumers of electricity are engaged in ’electricity theft,’ calling on the public to report the act of theft of electricity to the appropriate authorities. He noted that EDSA would be everywhere for surveillance.
Speaking about his experience from other countries, he said electricity supply is limited in areas where there is theft in the service, and he said he does not want the country to be in such a situation.
He said EDSA is not ‘for making a profit,’ saying it is a government utility whose dividend is derived from lower tariffs.
He said they are thinking of a private company that would come and help them curb the act.
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