VRA Is Not Responsible For Fire Outbreak - Ag. Director

Power supply to the Executive Mansion in Monrovia, Liberia does not come from the new system constructed by the Volta River Authority of Ghana, a statement from the Information Services Department (ISD) said yesterday.

“Although the cause of the fire has not yet been established by the Liberian Authorities, we wish to state categorically that VRA's work in Monrovia does not include extension of the grid to the part in which the Executive Mansion is located. Also at no point has VRA participated in wiring or providing electricity at the Mansion,” the statement signed by Mr D.A. Kwapong, Acting Director of ISD, said.

The statement said: “VRA is acting on behalf of the Government of Ghana as the principal agency for implementing the construction phase of Liberia's Emergency Power Programme (EPP) in two sections of the City of Monrovia, namely Congo Town and Kru town.

“The Congo Town distribution network component, which has been completed, was inaugurated last Wednesday by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, and assisted by President John Agyekum Kufuor of Ghana. The Kru Town distribution network component is under construction and will be completed within a month.”

The statement said the VRA had installed a brand new 1,250 KVA capacity generator and a new distribution network for Congo Town, adding that the completed network was a closed system located at the east of downtown Monrovia about three kilometers from the Executive Mansion, which is in the Capitol Hill area of Central Liberia.

“The new network is currently not linked to any other power supply system”, the statement said, and appealed to all to be circumspect about associating VRA with the unfortunate fire outbreak at the Executive Mansion.