Night View of inside the school and residential compound of the Group of 77
By Jerromie S. Walters
Monrovia, Liberia: Many nights, some persons with disabilities within the residential compound of the Group of 77 on Newport Street in central Monrovia leap, stumble, fall, and struggle to rise either once, twice, or thrice before accessing parts of the facility due to lack of electricity.
Because of the situation at hand, they are forced to navigate in complete darkness at the government-supervised facility or rely on others for assistance. At some points, the frequent falls lead to injuries that linger for days or even weeks, compounding the daily challenges of living with disabilities.
The Group of 77, is a welfare institution under the supervision of the Office of Vice President Jeremiah Kpang Koung and is now spearheaded by Liberia’s Second Lady, Madam Stynleseh Stephenie Dahn-Koung. It is tasked with improving the lives of people with disabilities. However, its Newport Street compound—which houses a school, clinic, and residential apartments for disabled individuals—remains without electricity.
Figures from the FY2025 budget show an increased budgetary allocations— for the group, from $306,767 in FY2024 to $418,606 in FY2025. But while surrounding buildings glow with light at night, the Group of 77 compound is covered in darkness. In many instances, some depend on flashlights, “We live in fear,” one resident noted. “Not only is it difficult to move around, but the darkness also poses a security risk. Anything could happen, and we wouldn’t even see it coming.”
For one disabled resident within the compound, he believes that reliable electricity is not just a matter of convenience but a basic necessity for safety, and mobility. The fellow who spoke anonymously detailed the difficulties of living without power. Beyond the difficulty of moving through the dark compound to access bathrooms, he says the absence of electricity strips away basic comforts.
“For example, if you are not in darkness in the night, when you come home after hustle, you get your TV, you can put it on for you and your children to have fine time before going to sleep. But we can just be sitting in darkness—sometimes sleep carries us. Sometimes we can be sitting until 10-11 PM because the place can be hot.” He added, “We are not connected at all.”
More than a year on
Like him, other residents say they have lived in darkness since 2024 after Madam Stynleseh Stephenie Dahn-Koung took over. Prior to her ascendancy, they relied on a private resident within the Newport Street area for current. They were connected to his line and frequently made funds available to recharge his meter because they were not connected by the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC).
After Madam Stynleseh Stephenie Dahn-Koung took over, it is said that this partnership didn’t continue and she has not been able to have the compound connected by the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) despite several efforts. On a few occasions, the clinic the compound hosts uses a mini generator at night while the rest of the compound remains in darkness.
Justifying the crisis
Jeremiah Cooper, a coordinator at the Group of 77, has confirmed that Liberia’s Second Lady, Madam Stynleseh Stephenie Dahn-Koung, is aware of the electricity crisis affecting disabled residents at the organization’s Newport Street compound and is working toward a resolution. “The Second Lady is concerned about our being in darkness. She knows,” Cooper told this paper mid-Tuesday.
However, he explained that progress has been delayed due to leadership instability at the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC). “The process was delayed because the LEC never had a head that the Second Lady could engage to ensure that the compound is connected,” he noted. Contrary to Cooper’s claim that the LEC lacked leadership, records show that the corporation has had consistent interim management in recent months.
Monie R. Captan, the former Chief Executive Officer of the LEC, saw his contract expire on November 30, 2024. The following day, President Joseph Boakai appointed an Interim Management Team, including Thomas Z. Gonkerwon as Interim Managing Director, Eric Augustine Fredericks as Interim Deputy Managing Director for Administration, Emile Karnga as Interim Deputy Managing Director for Operations, and I. Dele Shobayo as Interim Deputy Managing Director for Technical Services.
Further adjustments came on March 31, 2025, when President Boakai reshuffled the acting leadership, naming Mohammed M. Sherif as Acting Managing Director, Eric Augustine B. Frederick as Acting Deputy Managing Director for Administration, and Thomas Z. Gonkerwon as Acting Deputy Managing Director for Operations. These appointments remain in effect pending Senate confirmation.
Despite these changes, Cooper insists that no one should be blamed for the lack of electricity at the Group of 77 compound. “Government was not giving us current. We were paying our own bills,” he said.
Persistent Neglect
In 2023, the same compound was engulfed in piles of uncollected garbage for weeks. An investigation revealed that the waste accumulated after residents cleaned drainage systems to prevent flooding during the rainy season. The lack of proper waste disposal left them living in unsanitary conditions, further endangering their health.
The ongoing struggles of Group of 77 residents come in contrast to recent improvements in Monrovia’s electricity supply. The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) has made strides in stabilizing power distribution, particularly in Montserrado County. However, the compound housing some of Liberia’s most vulnerable citizens remains disconnected from this progress.
Jeremiah Cooper and residents were available to flag their views, but the Office of the Second Lady couldn’t be directly contacted to comment on the power issue at the Group of 77 Newport Street compound.
