On Saturday, amid widespread protests sparked by an enduring power outage, Guinean authorities took decisive action by dismissing the top leadership of the country’s national electricity company.
General Mamady Doumbouya, the Guinean military leader, issued a decree removing Laye Sekou Camara, the head of Electricity in Guinea (EDG), along with his two deputies, Fode Soumah and Abdoulaye Kone.
The move came after the country’s national oil company’s managing director and his deputy were also sacked on Friday in connection to the ongoing blackout.
Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah demanded accountability from those responsible for the power cuts, emphasizing that everyone must shoulder their share of responsibility.
ExxonMobil Set to Exit Oil Exploration in Equatorial Guinea
Peoples Gazette reports that EDG attributed the power outage to “an incident on a high-voltage pylon,” sparking further public outrage.
The dismissal of senior officials in Guinea’s power sector follows violent protests in Conakry, the country’s capital, and Kindia, where two children tragically lost their lives earlier in the week.
In a bid to address the country’s energy challenges, Nigerian Power Minister Bayo Adelabu highlighted Guinea’s exorbitant electricity bills compared to Nigerians’, advocating for subsidy removal in poor countries.
Adelabu’s remarks come amid criticism of his handling of Nigeria’s power sector, which continues to struggle with inadequate electricity supply, earning him the reputation of Nigeria’s worst power minister.
