Illegal electricity connections hampering economy

Residents are stealing about 60% of the electricity generated in Liberia annually by making illegal connections to their homes and businesses, the state-owned power utility has said. The theft caused annual losses of about $35m, Liberia Electricity Corporation officials have confirmed. BBC News reports that the government is trying to rebuild its power sector, destroyed during a civil war which lasted from 1989 to 2003. The US is giving financial and technical aid to the West African state to increase connectivity, as part of the Power Africa initiative launched by former US President Barack Obama to bring electricity to 50m people in sub-Saharan Africa by 2020.