WOLEU-NTEM/ Jean Christophe Owono Nguema talks about the irregularity of water and electricity
July 24, 20220
For nearly a month, the towns of Oyem, Bitam in the Province of Woleu-Ntem and Ovang in the sister province of Ogooué Ivindo, have been experiencing an irregular supply of electricity and water, unknown to the populations who have lived there for for ages.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,
Unprecedented since 1961, year of electrification of the city of Oyem and 1963 for that of the city of Bitam, a Regional Director of the Energy and Water Company of Gabon (Seeg), believed it was good to stop all supplies of electricity and water services for several days, without further ado.
He will come and announce it to the population in the most laconic way possible, with the vague promise ” a return to normal as soon as possible “. Without at any time taking into account the risk of disturbing public order that such an initiative would create, in a Province deemed ” slinger ».
All this is happening under the benevolent gaze of the government. Without at any time, the latter reminding Seeg of its obligation to achieve results in the management of the public water and electricity service concession granted to it by the State.. The Prime Minister, Mrs. Rose Francine Ossouka, does not yet find the time to address such a crucial issue for the physical, health and food security of the inhabitants of the localities concerned.. Nearly 150,000 souls.
Without forgetting its harmful impact, on the economic level – the administration and the companies being no longer able to function -, or on the level of the distended social ties, by the difficulty of being able to telephone a member of one’s family or a friend.
In this indecision of the Head of Government, her Minister of Energy, Mr. Alain Claude Bilié by Nzé, believed to bring together the leaders of Seeg. This meeting will only give birth a saver who can as a lasting solution to put an end to this dramatic situation. Those in charge of the Gabonese energy sector, on this occasion, simply spun hot potato at the Ministry of Petroleum.
The post published by the Minister of Energy in social networks, in his name, blames the current situation on the Ministry of Petroleum, which would be unable, via the Gabonese refining company (Sogara), to supply the national market with petroleum products. Meanwhile, the ministers from Woleu-Ntem, Guy Patrick Obiang Ndong and Charles Mvé Ella, were reported over the past weekend in Oyem and Bitam, to engage in political political activities in the darkest darkness. total. A fine example of cohesion and governmental solidarity from the team of Madame Rose Ossouka Rapondat.
In view of these playground battles, the truth is that the government has chosen to allow a situation that could have been explosive to rot. Leaving to the local authorities, which I praise the action – I have just spoken to the governor on this subject – the task of managing as best they can, to calm the tensions.
The question is, in what interest? What is the aim of accentuating so much the pressure of the yoke around the neck of Woleu-Ntemois? This population is already facing insecurity without the police taking any notice. Daily racketeering by the same elements of the police force. Endemic unemployment.
From the lack of health care. In short, deprivation of all the fundamental political, economic and social freedoms to which it is entitled in the name of the constitution of our country Gabon. In its preamble, should we remind our governments, it refers to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
This situation it is to be feared, will not find a way out with this power. What needs to be done is simply not compatible with an assumed policy of embezzlement of public funds. I was a deputy and a senator, I know what I’m talking about.
In 2015, in its Emerging Gabon Strategic Plan (PSGE), the CEO power had promised the construction of six dams to strengthen our energy production capacities by nearly 650 Megawatts. Among which the FeII dam on the Okano River in Mitzic.
7 years later nothing has been done. It’s not the money that’s been missing. Our budgetary resources came close to 22,000 billion CFA francs over the same period. Couldn’t we release on this mass 1500 billion CFA francs on such a manna, to build the six works?
Similarly, the Société gabonaise de raffinage (Sogara), which is responsible for covering the national demand for petroleum products, is no longer in a position to do so. It takes a refinery capable of processing nearly 10 million barrels of oil per year. Sogara only has a capacity of 1 million barrels per year. The new refinery project also contained in the PSGE has not been as successful.
The company must resort to imports of refined products on the international market. However, you have to pay the “international oil traders” cash before they agree to deliver the precious liquids to you. Sogara, badly managed because of the embezzlement that takes place there, still does not have the means to intervene in this market. Hence the numerous interruptions in the supply of petroleum products.
The Seeg itself did not invest enough to optimize its production tool. Thus, there is no interconnection between the different electricity production RICs at the national level. Areas with excess energy cannot make up for those with a deficit in such a scheme.
The Seeg prefers to put its resources, they are imported – 220 billion CFA francs of annual turnover on average – in disastrous projects unrelated to its corporate purpose. For example, this SNBG building in Libreville, which Seeg wanted to buy at the price of 8 billion CFA francs, when it was worth 4 billion CFA francs according to specialists. This operation was initiated at the request of the Presidency of the Republic.
In short, the required level of investment to have a quality and efficient service has not been achieved by the Seeg. In its activity report for the year 2021, the company devoted only 27 billion Fcfa to investments (12% of its turnover), against 40 billion Fcfa in payroll costs (20% of the turnover). ‘business). This dichotomy says a lot about the priorities of this public company.
I therefore call on all stakeholders to pull themselves together, to definitively stem this phenomenon of interruption of water and electricity supply. In addition to making Gabon the laughingstock of the world beyond its borders, it causes nuisance to the population that can lead to death. Unless the genocide of the inhabitants of Woleu-Ntem becomes a new political objective of power.
Jean Christophe Owono Nguema
Provincial Representative of the National Union
Former Vice-President of the Senate
Former deputy.