During the weekly press conference held on March 26th, 2024, Joe-Lahai Sormana, the Director General of Sierra Leone’s Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA), shed light on the dire financial situation facing the utility company.

Sormana candidly disclosed that EDSA is grappling with significant losses due to the unsustainable pricing model in place.

Sormana underscored the predicament, stating, “We buy power but we charge our customers less than what we spend to buy power from Karpowership and other sources. So even before we start business, we are already running at a loss.”

The admission from the Director General highlights the deep-rooted financial challenges plaguing EDSA, where the cost of purchasing electricity exceeds the revenue generated from consumers. This revelation has sparked concerns among citizens and stakeholders alike, prompting calls for urgent reforms within the electricity sector.

Sormana further emphasized the limitations imposed by the financial constraints. “We simply cannot provide what we don’t have,” he stated. “Full delivery of the 120 MW Freetown requires is beyond our current network capacity.”

The Director General also brought attention to the issue of electricity theft. “Nine out of ten citizens with access to electricity are either involved in theft themselves or know someone who is,” he claimed. “This widespread practice significantly contributes to EDSA’s financial woes. We are essentially contributing to our own downfall.”

In response to Sormana’s remarks, a concerned citizen took to social media, commenting on the Ministry of Information and Civic Education’s Twitter post. The citizen asserted, “It makes no economic sense to buy at a higher price and sell at a low price. The whole EDSA operation needs to be reevaluated. Better so it is good to allow private entities to buy EDSA and supply power to the people.”