EDSA Turns Catalyst For Fire Outbreaks

Despite allegations raised by residents in Freetown that most of the fires that have claimed the lives and properties of people are as a result of power surge, EDSA has vehemently denied failure of their service, often pointing accusing fingers at poor electrification by alleged quack electricians. Unfortunately, amidst this denial, the trend has continued unabated, with innocent citizens losing loved ones, their homes and properties. There is not a week that passes by without news of fire destroying homes and properties and impoverishing or maiming residents. This situation is so bad that a sitting Member of Parliament, the main opposition party Leader in the House, had his house burnt down and properties worth millions of Leones destroyed. Early this week it was the turn of a resident at Babadorie 44, Lumley, where a three storey building would have been turned into ashes, had it not been for the intervention of area youths. Millions of Leones worth of property was destroyed before the fire was contained. Two days later, another fire incident took place in eatern Freetown, again after power surge. Is EDSA telling us that all these fires are as a result of quack electricians or poor cables? What of houses that have been burnt down, built decades ago with original electrical products and by experts? EDSA should admit that they are still using transformers and equipment that have outlived their usefulness and should be replaced. All these excuses only fuel the discontent of residents and a recipe for chaos. The case of Hon. Abdul Kargbo should prompt the authorities to review the entire EDSA distribution infrastructure. After the MP wrote his ordeal, the only thing that EDSA promised was to investigate, a process that have, over the years, yielded no fruit except denials and false accusations of incompetence on the part of those who electrified the houses. In Hon. Abdul Kargbo’s case, he highlighted the prelude to the fire, where a phone exploded immediately after the electricity surge in his house, then the fire that claimed everything. This is the account of a distressed citizen and representative of the people in Parliament. His report does not only capture his frustration with EDSA, but epitomizes the frustration and apprehension of the greater population in Freetown and all areas getting electricity from EDSA. Some diasporans say that such negligence and incompetence can only happen in Sierra Leone, as such a company will be sweating in the Courts to compensate the victims. EDSA is a corporation institution that can sue and be sued. Maybe it is time now to test the Court system. Innocent citizens are losing their lives’ savings in these fires that could have been avoided had EDSA taken the necessary steps to ensure that quality service is provided. Yet they would harass consumers to pay for the service: an epileptic service that ends up distressing them, causing more hardship and death of loved ones. To make matters worse, EDSA is being paid from the sweat of the people. It is unable to provide enough electricity for the people, and the little that it produces, poses huge threats to their lives, livelihoods and properties. This is one big failure of privatization.