It has been three months with no electricity in Bambeto and Cosa in Conakry, Guinea and hundreds of youths have demonstrated against the state-run Electricity of Guinea (EDG), reports carried.
The riot in the black-out was lighted by burning vehicles and property in the country’s capital.
The youths, however, have been detained according to government mobile security Deputy Chief Kandas Conde after an attempt to disperse the youths with tear-gas.
The Power deficiency in the area is said to be political as supporters of the presidential ruling Party of Unity and Progress mostly live downtown whereas activists from the opposition Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea are concentrated in the blacked-out sections of town.
However, the director general of the state electricity company, Sekou Sandfina Diakite, in an interview said that the power failure in the region is simply because Conakry’s electricity demand has surpassed available supply. “Conakry needs about 200 megawatts of energy whereas EDG can only supply 120 megawatts” He said.
Electricity problems were one of main complaints of demonstrators during a deadly week-long strike in Guinea, last year, where businesses were shuttered and almost 200 lives were lost.
