Liberia: Weah Ends Electricity Nightmare in Virginia, Brewerville

President George Weah has inaugurated the Gap Communities’ Electrification Project in District #17 in Montserrado County, bringing an end to the long-standing electricity challenges faced by Virginia and Brewerville in Liberia. This initiative by the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) aims to expand electricity access and provide affordable and efficient power to communities.

The project is a crucial step towards the socio-economic development of the country and improving the livelihoods of its residents. It focuses on electrifying communities that were not covered by previous donor-funded electrification projects. President Weah’s participation in the official switching-on ceremony signifies a significant milestone in Liberia’s progress and development.

During the event, President Weah emphasized his commitment to serving his people and pledged ongoing support for the LEC Gap Communities Electricity Project. He praised the CEO of LEC, Monie Ralph Captan, for his leadership and expressed confidence that his appointment was the right choice to move LEC forward.

“When we decided that we were looking for a diligent person to help us light our cities, towns, and districts, I immediately appointed you, and I knew that you and your team were going to move LEC forward, and our family, friends, and community will be happy to have their community lighting,” he continued.

“So, Mr. Monie Captan, I want to thank you and your team for putting smiles on our people’s faces.”

Monie R. Captan, acting CEO and Chairman of LEC, acknowledged the support from the Government of Liberia in extending the electricity expansion program to Virginia and Brewerville. He highlighted the positive impact of the project, which has already provided electric power to over 2,180 homes and businesses. Captan assured the residents that LEC will continue its efforts to connect more households in the future.

“We are here today to show that the mandate the President gave us to bring electricity to this district has been fulfilled. So, we are happy to let you know that we have fulfilled the President's promise and we are going to continue; we’re not finished,” he told residents. “Mr. President, so far we have connected to 2,180 homes, and we’re going to continue because we still have over 1,000 homes to connect. So, for those of you who are waiting patiently, hold your heart; we are getting to you. We want to say a special thank you for all the support that you have been providing to the LEC.”

Dele Shobayo, Executive Director for Engineering and Major Connections at LEC, described the Gap Communities project as a noble initiative with the goal of improving the lives of citizens, stimulating socio-economic activities, and enhancing community security. He acknowledged the challenges faced by Liberia in terms of electricity access and emphasized the importance of the ongoing grid expansion efforts in increasing the number of people with access to electricity.

“There are dozens of communities in and around Monrovia and across the country that are without electricity, and students in these areas are unable to study at night because of a lack of electricity,” Shobayo said.

Currently, LEC has around 250,000 customer connections, with the goal of further increasing this number through the electrification of new communities. As a result of these efforts, over 1 million people in Liberia now have access to electricity.

This project follows the successful inauguration of electricity in other areas, such as the 72nd Army Camp Field Community, Paynesville, Lonestar Cell Community, Jacob's Town, and Iron Factory, where over 5,000 residences are now powered by the LEC grid.