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Campaign promises are often bizarre. But when a candidate gets elected and repeats promises made during campaign time the public get the notion that some proper mechanisms are in place to make real those promises.
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf finds herself in that scenario. During the run for the Executive Mansion she made promises to light up Monrovia within six months or before July 26 (Independence Day).
It’s 42 days away, and her government and partners, including the European Union, Ghana and the United States of America are set against July 26 deadline for the electrification of Monrovia. It seems the government is uneasy but at the same time determined to achieve the first task.
The first batch of materials including over 1000 poles arrived yesterday. From what Reporter Elwood Dennis saw yesterday, the government appears upbeat and determined to deliver.
Lands, Mines and Energy Minister, Eugene Shannon, told journalists during a press conference yesterday at the ministry that in keeping with President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s commitment to provide electricity to Monrovia by July 26, 2006, several materials and equipment that were needed to boost the emergency power project (EPP) have been brought into the country.
The minister was making reference to the 1,200 “light poles” and other electrical equipment that arrived by morning yesterday at the Freeport of Monrovia aboard a Ghanaian chartered vessel.
The vessel bringing in the equipment and materials, according to him, docked at the Freeport of Monrovia from the Republic of Ghana in the morning hours of Wednesday, and are presently being unloaded.
With the arrival of the initial materials, he said, they would immediately begin work with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf planting the first light pole in the city. He said this would happen soon as the unloading process reached what he called “convincing point,”
Though he fell short of putting time tag on the planting of the first pole by President Sirleaf, Minister Shannon said President John Kuffour of Ghana whose country has been inspirational in the process may participate in the official kickoff of returning electricity to parts of Monrovia, which is regarded as the first step toward electrifying Liberia.
Full of praises for Ghana’s overture in the electrification project, Minister Shannon also divulged that four generators are expected from the United Kingdom as soon as possible.
It may be recalled that the government of Ghana promised to provide generators as its initial contribution to the restoration of electricity to Monrovia, but there is no indication of the generators being here.
Areas expected to benefit from the first 3% lighting exercise, according to the Lands & Mines minister include West Point, health centers, John F. Kennedy Hospital, Paynesville and other areas they may deem necessary.
According to the Land and Mines minister, given the enormity of the task of restoring electricity to all parts of the city, it would take up to six years to complete.
He noted that only those who can afford to pay would benefit personally from the electricity being restored to the city, indicating that there would be no free current.
Also at the joint press conference was Ghanaian Ambassador, Maj/Gen. Francis Adoa-Amafuo who said the 9-12 meter-long poles were chemically protected and therefore could withstand any adverse weather condition in Liberia.
As its contributions to the exercise the Ghanaian Ambassador said, the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) will provide 1,000 light poles. Observers are however worried over the ability of the public corporation that has been dormant for more 14 years to meet its quota for the electrification project.
The European Union (EU) and the Ghanaian and US governments are the major partners in the project which observers say is the first test of the Sirleaf Administration’s commitment to her campaign pledges.
But they say given the time wasted in discarding the first arrangement for the emergency electrification project and obtaining the current commitment, the administration is running against rough tides with barely 42 days to D-day.
“The poles may be here and may already be off-loaded, but there is also the question of running wires. This consumes time,” observed Klegbe Monboe of White Plains who no longer enjoys electricity.
Whatever the case, according to observers, the government has in its hands the first tool and with a little more commitment, they said, select parts of Monrovia may be lighted up on schedule. |
