Ouagadougou, March 15, 2023 (AIB) – This Wednesday’s Burkinabè daily newspapers echo the reasons for the closure of mining sites and the management of peak periods by the National Electricity Company of Burkina (SONABEL).
“Peak period: SONABEL announces short cuts of 30 minutes maximum”, headlined the oldest private dailies in Burkina Faso, L’Observateur Paalga.
The newspaper informs that in this period of heat wave, as the temperature can exceed 40° C, the installations of the National Electricity Company of Burkina (SONABEL) take a hit, which causes inconveniences such as power cuts , even load shedding, but that the company reassures a recovery of 30 minutes maximum in the event of a cut.
“We are going to take all the necessary measures at the level of our field teams, operators so that when there is a cut, we can react in order to restore the system as soon as possible within a maximum of 30 minutes” affirmed the Director General of SONABEL, Daniel Sermé.
On this subject, the private daily newspaper Le Pays titles on its headline, “SONABEL / CSO exchanges: The management of the 2023 peak as a main course”.
Le Pays reports that according to the director of transport and energy movement at SONABEL, Aristide Ouédraogo, there are four sources of power, namely thermal, hydroelectric, solar production and imports.
The newspaper adds that SONABEL expects 80 megawatts from Côte d’Ivoire and 160 megawatts from Ghana, including an import of 60% of consumption in Burkina.
From another angle, the national daily Sidwaya mentions on its front page: “Closure of mining sites: The reasons explained to the deputies”.
The newspaper informs that by evoking a probable connection between the artisanal exploitation of gold and the financing of terrorism, the minister in charge of mines, Simon Pierre Boussim justified their closure by the will of the government.
Sidwaya adds that in terms of industrial sites, the closure has put at least 2,500 employees out of work with the corollary effects including a drop in household income.
The Bobolais newspaper, L’Express du Faso reports that this closure has led to a drop in mining production of around 13% and a drop in revenue estimated at several billion CFA francs.
It is right that the newspaper Le Quotidien mentions, on the front page: “Impact of insecurity on mining production in 2022: The Minister of Mines announces a 13% drop”.
“Road projects in the red zones: The involvement of military engineers is not possible”, also displays L’Express du Faso.
The newspaper informs that according to the Minister of Defence, Colonel Major, Kassoum Coulibaly, the military engineering does not have any equipment allowing to carry out coatings of pavements in bitumens.
“The engineering service specializes in the studies and construction of infrastructures for the benefit of the national armed forces”, he added.
For its part, Today in Faso, another private daily, evokes the two subjects through this title which crosses its front page: “Execution of road infrastructures and closure of gold panning sites in red zones: The insights of the Ministers of Defense and Mines, Cl Kasoum Coulibaly and Simon-Pierre Boussim”.
Source: Burkina Information Agency