By Dauda Jamiru
Residents in several hillside communities in Sierra Leone’s capital have raised concerns over prolonged electricity outages, saying the situation has disrupted daily life and heightened security risks.
Communities including Imatt, Leicester, Leicester Peak, Gloucester, Regent, Hill Station Camp and surrounding areas say they have experienced near-continuous blackouts for about a month, despite repeated complaints to power authorities.
Residents said reports had been made to local substations, including Leicester Peak and Wilberforce, but no effective action had been taken to restore supply.
The outages have affected businesses, households and public services, with residents warning of economic losses and increased vulnerability to crime due to lack of street lighting.
“We have made several complaints, but nothing has changed. The situation is affecting our livelihoods and safety,” one resident said.
Sierra Leone has long faced challenges in electricity generation and distribution, with supply often falling short of demand, particularly in densely populated urban areas and hillside communities.
The country relies on a mix of hydroelectric power, including the Bumbuna dam, and thermal generation, which can be affected by seasonal fluctuations, fuel costs and infrastructure constraints.
In recent years, the government has sought to expand access to electricity and improve reliability through investments in generation and distribution, but outages remain common, especially during the rainy season when hydroelectric output can be inconsistent and infrastructure is strained.
Residents in the affected communities are calling on the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) and other relevant institutions to urgently address the issue and restore stable power supply.
Authorities had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
