SLEWRC, with support from the Millennium Challenge Coordinating Unit MMCCU, have met with representatives from different groups and service providers of electricity and water in Bo, Kenema and Makeni to discuss the way forward in improving on the quality, sustainability and access to electricity and water supply.
The theme of the workshop was: ‘improving the quality of electricity and water service through effective regulation.’
Director General of the commission, Tamba Keilie, said the commission had decided to reach all those affected as part of their mandate indicated.
According to the DG, the commission was primarily established to reach out to the people, the consumers, and the regulatory entities nationwide, but since it was established they have focused only in Freetown.
The Electricity, Distribution and Supply Authority, (EDSA), and the Sierra Leone Waster Company (SALWACO), are service providers in the areas of electricity and water supply, respectively.
The primary mandate of the two companies is to ensure that there is adequate supply of both electricity and water to the country’s citizens. Unfortunately, lack of pure water and electricity supply remains a major concern to the people in that part of the country.
During the sensitization workshop, concerns were raised over the inadequate and unreliable supply of electricity and inaccessibility to pure water supply. Numerous consumers claimed that low voltage supply had destroyed their electrical appliances. Another concern rose had to do with the high tariff rates on both electricity and water supply.
According to the CEO of MCCU, Ndeye Koroma, recounted that they are currently implementing a 44.4 million dollar programme, in order to improve the electricity and water sectors, in the area of financial viability of the utilities; strengthening of the regulator and building up transparency and accountability in both sectors.
Both (EDSA) and (SALWACO) assured consumers of improving the quality of their services. Currently, SALWACO is implementing the Tree Town Water Project; it is the hope of many that it will end the suffering to access safe and reliable water.
The just concluded sensitization workshop was one out of a series of outreach programmes the commission have decided to embark on.