A drinking water and electricity supply project for rural and peri-urban areas is underway in Gabon. Benefiting from funding from the World Bank and the African Development Bank, the project is expected to reach just over 60,000 households in the country where access to electricity and drinking water still remains a luxury for some. The Minister of Water and Energy briefs the head of government on December 10.
“It should be noted that the head of state has placed the issue of water and electricity at the heart of government emergencies. And Madam the Prime Minister wished that the clear elements are made available to her so that she can inform the Head of State ”, declared the Minister of Water and Energy at the end of a working session, on December 10, with the head of government. In particular, the Resident Representatives of the World Bank (WB) and the African Development Bank (BAD), the officials of the contracting companies and members of the government participated in the working session at the Prime Minister’s Office.
According to Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze, who gave an update to the Prime Minister, the drinking water and electricity supply project for rural and peri-urban areas of Gabon must be brought before the President of the Republic, by the Prime Minister, so that decisions are no longer taken in terms of seeking funding which, moreover, is already available, “but rather for a timetable for the execution of the works”.
This project includes, in particular, the project for access to basic services in rural and peri-urban areas implemented with financial support from the World Bank for a little over 32.412 billion CFA francs; and the Greater Libreville Integrated Drinking Water Project benefiting from an envelope of approximately CFAF 41.591 billion from the African Development Bank (ADB).
The companies to carry out the works are known, and according to the Minister of State in charge of Energy and Water Resources, they presented the head of government with a schedule for carrying out the said works. “In some cases, work has started. Particularly in certain areas in Libreville, with regard to electricity on the Bambochine, Igoumié and Malibé side. Companies have taken delivery of sites at Woleu-Ntem and Ngounié. In Haut-Ogooué, we are in the process of compensating the populations so that, in the weeks and months to come, work can also start ”, explained Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze speaking of the electricity component. .
In terms of water, he said, stressing that the work concerns Greater Libreville and all neighborhoods, “from what the companies have said, we are awaiting a final timetable”. Never mind, he said, “the works should start in the first quarter of 2021 and the head of state will decide exactly on the dates of all the works”. “I cannot give you a particular district, but I can tell you that all the districts will be taken into account at the same time”, supported Bilie-By-Nze, aware of what all the districts of Grand-Libreville are experiencing. difficulties in accessing drinking water. However, he said, in the construction phase, some neighborhoods will be delivered as a priority because the works have started. “If the work actually begins in the first quarter of 2021, some work will be delivered as and when and we hope that 32 months later, the last quarter will be reached”, insisted the minister explaining that the project will proceed with the replacement and installation of water pipes and the construction of water towers.
