The Plenary of the Liberian Senate summons several institutions in the energy sector for a hearing, including the Liberia Electricity Corporation; the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission, and the Ministry of Mines, Energy, Natural Resources & Environment over continuous inadequate power supplies and distribution in the country, especially Monrovia and its environs.
Plenary mandates that the relevant authorities appear before the Senate as a “committee of a whole” on Thursday, December 2, 2021, to address the concern.
Earlier in May, the Senate cited the LEC and its operating partners on similar matters of concern but yet, nothing has been done to lay the said matter to rest.
The Senate decision followed a reminder from Grand Bassa County Senator, Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence for the Senate to take definite action on the said matter.
Senator Lawrence stresses the need that moving forward; the committee on Ways, Means, Finance & Budget approves the budget of all spending entities on the basis of the submission of performance report for scrutiny purpose before allotting additional funds.
Meanwhile, the Senate mandates its Secretary to officially communicate with the Ministry of Public Works for a budget performance report on the expenditure of supplementary funds approved in the special budget for July to December 2021, for the installation of solar lights in four counties.
The decision is based on a concern raised by Grand Bassa County Senator Jonathan L. Kaipay, drawing the Senate’s attention to an approved budget of US$700 (Seven Hundred United States Dollars) in the Special Budget from July 1, to December 31, 2021, for the execution of the solar lights project in the four counties, including Grand Bassa.
Senator Kaipay notes that since the approval of said budget the implementing entity is yet to execute earmarked project, citing his own county, Grand Bassa as evidence. Editing by Jonathan Browne