By Salllieu S. Kanu
Lumley, Sierra Leone – Efforts to restore electricity to the Lumley Health Centre have suffered a major setback following a fresh incident of vandalism at the Lumley substation on Friday, September 12, 2025. According to a statement issued by the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA), the act was allegedly carried out by one Joseph Koroma and has further stalled power supply to the hospital and surrounding areas.
EDSA revealed that its technical team had completed extensive repairs and maintenance on the previously damaged substation, with only commissioning and energization remaining to reconnect the facility. However, upon arrival to finalize the restoration, engineers discovered that critical components—including cable lugs and terminals—had been stolen, rendering the planned reconnection impossible.
The matter has been reported to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Sierra Leone Police for further action.
Community Impact and Response
As a result of the vandalism, the Lumley Health Centre and nearby residents remain without electricity, pending the replacement of stolen conductors and additional repair work. The outage has raised concerns about the delivery of essential health services and the safety of patients and staff.
Despite the setback, EDSA has reaffirmed its commitment to completing the restoration as quickly as possible. The Authority condemned the repeated acts of sabotage targeting its distribution infrastructure, warning that such actions jeopardize vital services and threaten public well-being.
EDSA is urging members of the public to play an active role in protecting national infrastructure. The Authority emphasized that vigilance and timely reporting of suspicious activity around electricity installations are crucial to ensuring uninterrupted service delivery.
“This is not just an attack on cables—it’s an attack on the health and safety of our communities,” the statement read.
The incident has sparked renewed calls for stronger community engagement and enhanced security measures to safeguard public utilities across Sierra Leone.