The Government of Senegal has announced that it will reduce price of fuel and electricity tariffs in a few days.
Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko yesterday made the announcement, saying that the Senegalese government “will reduce electricity, fuel and gas prices in a few days’ time.
According to media reports, the Prime Minister also stated that plans are underway to review the reduction of rent.
“Government is here to support the masses to cushion the difficulties they are confronting in their daily lives, and this reduction will go a long way in achieving that,” he said.
Ultimatum to BP
Few days ago, the Prime Minister issued an ultimatum to BP – the British multinational that exploits the gas belonging to Senegal, since the country struggles to supply itself with its own gas, forcing it to import via Senelec, Senegal being a producer of fuel and gas!
“By 2026, we don’t want to go and get nine shipments of gas from very far away to bring them to Senegal, when there is gas produced here,” Sonko fumes, promising a swift change to correct the anomaly. “We want to source it right here and we will take the necessary steps to do so,” he told members of the country’s private sector during a meeting on 20 October this year.
The Prime Minister said reducing the price per kilowatt hour for production and for households is essential, and any consequences for taking such a measure is “worthwhile”. “Not to mention the consequences for state coffers, since domestic supply saves 143 billion,” he emphasised.
Reports have it that to revive its economy and position it for development, Senegal needs to reduce the price of energy, particularly electricity with its effects to the economy. And the country would rely heavily on GTA’s domestic gas supply to operate power plants, in some instances converted from fuel oil to gas. “This measure alone can solve a lot of problems,” the Prime Minister said.
