Members of Parliament were Monday, June 12 engaged in a heated debate on lowering the cost of electricity in Juba.
This comes after residents of Juba expressed concern through Radio Tamazuj last month over the exorbitant electricity prices levied by the Juba Electricity Distribution Company (JEDCO).
JEDCO was formed through a public-private partnership between Ezra Construction and Development Group (ECDG) and the South Sudan Electricity Corporation (SSEC) and distributes power generated by ECDG.
Last November, the power distributor announced plans to do routine maintenance and announced a load-shedding program.
However, several residents accused the company of not delivering quality services.
Responding to the complaints during a parliament sitting on Monday, Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba said the exorbitant cost of electricity has become a very serious concern for Parliament.
“The issue of electricity is very important. I have received a lot of complaints from the citizens. And since it is important, you need to put it in a motion form. We need to discuss it here and come out with resolutions,” Kumba said.
She directed the parliamentary committee for electricity to table a motion summoning the National Minister of Electricity and other concerned officials to appear before the lawmakers to explain why electricity costs are very high in the city.
“Let the minister of electricity come here. There is a parastatal for electricity. Let them come here and explain how this thing is happening. I know even the connection fee of this electricity is very expensive for a common citizen to afford it,” she stressed.
Kumba, a former electricity minister, said: “This electricity started from the time when I was the minister of electricity. That was my project. We signed the contract, and I raised the money from African Development Bank as a grant. And they were supposed to upgrade and connect the network within the project,” she said. “So, why is the connection so expensive when it was already funded as a grant?” She asked.
The speaker encouraged the lawmakers to ask the minister why citizens are charged by the company to pay for the electricity poles.
Joseph Sudan, an MP representing Ulang County, said: “As South Sudanese citizens, we thought we have finally received electricity in the capital Juba. However, the electricity is not even enough to supply the whole of Juba. And the most disappointing part is that it has become the most expensive electricity in the world.”
The MP, who is a member of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA), seconded the calls to summon the National Minister of Electricity, saying the minister has to explain why electricity tariffs are very high in the city.
“The most expensive electricity in the world is in Juba. If you compare it with other countries, you might think you are using so many machines. You load now, it will not take time, it will finish. This person responsible for the power needs to be questioned,” he concluded.
The constitution and the 2018 peace agreement give the Parliament powers to exercise legislative functions and oversee the executive.
South Sudan is governed by a transitional unity government created under the 2018 peace agreement. The transitional government comprises different political parties.