Liberia: ‘Electricity Must No Longer Be a Luxury for the Few’

Prominent Nimba businessman, Mr. Prince Howard, has called on President Joseph Nyumah Boakai to take urgent action to reform Liberia’s electricity system, warning that the continued high costs, outages, and inequitable access are stifling development and punishing ordinary citizens.

In an open letter addressed to President Boakai, a copy of which is with the Daily Observer, Mr. Howard said his intervention was motivated by civic responsibility and the national interest, stressing that electricity in Liberia “has become a privilege, instead of a right for every citizen.”

“Electricity is a public utility, and in every functional state, public utilities are planned, extended, and subsidized by the government because they are essential to economic growth, public health, education, and human dignity,” Howard wrote. “It must no longer be treated as a luxury for the few.”

According to Howard, access to electricity under the Nimba Grid, operated by Jungle Water Energy Power (JEP), is increasingly determined by wealth rather than need. Many homes, businesses, and public service institutions remain without power because residents cannot afford the high cost of poles, cables, meters, and transformers.

“Where in modern society are citizens required to pay for poles, wires, meters, and even transformers–assets that eventually become the property of the service provider?” he asked rhetorically.

He highlighted that small businesses are among the most affected. “This practice suppresses a market woman who wants to sell cold water or juice to support her family simply because she cannot afford a $40 meter,” Howard said.

The businessman also raised concerns over the health sector, noting that clinics in the county are being denied electricity because they cannot afford extension costs, which can range from $10,000 to $25,000. He cited a clinic in Yassonon, near Cocopa, which remains in darkness, adding: “This is not just a policy failure; it is a moral one.”

Howard warned that the economic consequences of limited electricity access are severe. “When electricity is inaccessible, small businesses cannot grow, employment drops, clinics and hospitals operate below standard, risking lives, investors lose confidence and take their capital elsewhere, causing youth unemployment to rise and poverty to become permanent,” he said.

Pointing to Liberia’s fast-growing commercial hubs, Howard said Ganta, despite having high-tension power lines running overhead, remains largely in darkness with no streetlights. He stressed that this reflects not a lack of resources but a lack of prioritization. “Darkness breeds insecurity, limits productivity, and sends the wrong signal to investors,” he added.

Howard also contrasted Liberia’s system with other African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Rwanda, and Kenya, where electricity is provided without citizens paying for infrastructure. “Those countries’ citizens are not charged for poles or transformers; they simply pay for consumption. The result is economic growth, job creation, and improved quality of life,” he said.

When contacted by the Daily Observer, the Communications Officer of Jungle Energy Power, Bamakpah, confirmed that management had addressed the allegations in a press conference but declined to provide further details.

In closing his letter, Howard appealed to President Boakai’s leadership. “Mr. President, leadership is not only about vision; it is about correcting systems that punish the poor and protect inefficiency. Liberians are not asking for charity; we are asking for fair policy, responsible governance, and equitable access to public services. Electricity must no longer be treated as a luxury for the few. It must become a right for all, and history will remember not the speeches we made, but the systems we changed,” he concluded.

Goal Seven of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals calls for affordable and clean energy for all by 2030. However, with Ganta and other cities outside Monrovia still lacking streetlights and reliable electricity, citizens continue to question whether this target is achievable in Liberia under the current system.

By Liberian Observer.