PASSORÉ — Frustration and unrest were evident in Bokin as residents protested on Friday morning against the Electricity Cooperative (COOPEL) following the sudden suspension of electrical services. This disruption severely impacted daily operations and safety in the rural commune, located approximately 50 kilometers from Yako.
According to Burkina Information Agency, which manages electricity locally, resulted in significant disruptions across various sectors. Yacouba Ouédraogo, the head of the Subscriber Coordination of the Bokin Electricity Cooperative, detailed critical services affected, including healthcare, administrative tasks, and local businesses. The outage also plunged the city into darkness, raising safety concerns among residents. The protest was organized by the coordination group, which also submitted a formal complaint to local administrative and security authorities.
The residents voiced a strong message through their march and declarations, indicating potential escalations in their protests if the situation remains unaddressed. They demanded the termination of COOPEL’s management contract in favor of SONABEL, the national electricity company, urging immediate state intervention to restore power and stabilize the electricity supply.
We reached out to the leadership of COOPEL in Bokin, including Mahamadi Ouédraogo and Aboubacar Sidiki Ouédraogo, for comments on Saturday afternoon. They stated they would provide a detailed response after further consultations within their team.