By Mohamed Kamara
Despite recent high-profile dismissals within the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA), insiders and concerned citizens say the root of corruption remains untouched, buried deep within the institution’s inner network of longstanding operatives.
The restructuring of Sierra Leone’s energy sector—from the former Sierra Leone Electricity Corporation (SLEC) to the now-rebranded EDSA—was meant to usher in transparency and efficiency. Yet, according to public opinion and investigative accounts, systemic malpractice continues to thrive beneath the surface.
While President Julius Maada Bio has exercised his executive authority to remove top officials in a move seen as promoting accountability, critics argue that unless EDSA’s internal “mafia” is exposed and dismantled, such changes are largely cosmetic.
“This problem didn’t begin with the current administration,” said one concerned citizen. “It has been festering for decades, evolving into a network of professionals and ground-level operatives who thrive on illegal commissions and backdoor deals.”
Reports suggest that some of EDSA’s technical staff hire community-based youths to perform unauthorized installations or repairs—often in exchange for unofficial fees. These transactions, according to sources, are carried out with the quiet approval of EDSA insiders.
Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, President Bio’s Energy Adviser, has previously alluded to these deep-rooted inefficiencies and criminal elements that hinder sector reform.
In one widely cited example, a resident caught with an illegal electricity connection was arrested and taken to the CID Headquarters. Though the law stipulates a fine of over thirty million Leones, sources allege that suspects often pay significantly less in under-the-table settlements, avoiding formal prosecution entirely.
“This is how the cycle continues,” another resident remarked. “Instead of a lawful trial, negotiations happen in the shadows—and justice is compromised.”
There are also mounting concerns about meter installations. While only authorized EDSA personnel are allowed to install meters, residents claim that a payment of five million Leones (old currency) often covers both the meter and unauthorized installation by unemployed youths working unofficially under EDSA supervision.
Despite public praise for the recent dismissals at the top, many believe that these actions barely scratch the surface. Until internal operatives—the so-called “untouchables”—are identified and held accountable, the rot within EDSA is expected to persist
