On Thursday, Mauritania's Prime Minister, Mochtar Ould Ajay, chaired a meeting of the ministerial committee tasked with monitoring and managing the crisis caused by recent fires at two power stations in Nouakchott. The fires occurred on August 18 and 21 at the northern and western Nouakchott power stations. The Prime Minister commended the various ministerial sectors for their efforts in mitigating the effects of the incident.
The meeting followed a presentation by the Prime Minister and the chairman of the independent commission of inquiry, Othman Kane, to President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani. The commission's report and recommendations were submitted to the President, who emphasized the need for comprehensive implementation of the recommendations. The commission was established to investigate the causes of the fires and identify those responsible.
The Prime Minister reviewed the formation of the independent commission of inquiry, which was headed by Othman Kane and included several experts. The commission submitted its final report on October 5 after obtaining an exceptional one-week extension. The report's recommendations include administrative measures against those responsible for the incident, as well as measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
President El Ghazouani has instructed the government to implement the recommendations in full. The recommendations also include activating legal proceedings to protect public interests and punish those who violate existing laws and regulations. The Prime Minister emphasized the need to start rehabilitating the damaged power stations immediately and take preventive measures to avoid similar incidents.
The Prime Minister has directed the development of an organizational and development plan for the National Electricity Company (SOMALEC) to improve its performance and enable it to provide high-quality services. The plan aims to enable SOMALEC to manage investment projects effectively. The President has also ordered the government to make the commission's report available to the public in a transparent manner.
The ministerial committee listened to a presentation by Othman Kane on the investigation's findings and results. Kane praised the trust placed in him and his committee by President El Ghazouani and confirmed that the investigation was conducted independently and transparently. The committee's report answered all questions related to the incident.
The Prime Minister concluded the meeting by directing the implementation of the recommendations and their referral to the relevant sectors. A plan of action will be developed to ensure the implementation of the recommendations. The Prime Minister and the ministerial committee expressed gratitude to the independent commission for its professional work.
Key points
- The Prime Minister has ordered the rehabilitation of two power stations in Nouakchott damaged by recent fires.
- The government will implement recommendations from an independent commission of inquiry into the causes of the fires.
- A development plan will be created for the National Electricity Company to improve its performance.
