Pending the outcome of the trial of those prosecuted in the case of four patients who died on 7 October 2022 at the National University Hospital Center Hubert Koutougou MAGA (CNHU-HKM) of Cotonou following a power outage, the question of continuous electricity supply remains a major challenge in Benin. Beyond the University Hospital Center, almost the entire Beninese population suffers, in one way or another, damage from untimely power cuts which have become commonplace.
The facts are known to all Beninese and this is not the first time that a medical center has been plunged into darkness.. More, this time, thanks undoubtedly to social networks which abundantly relayed the facts, the cutting of the 7 October leading to the death of four patients, was taken seriously by the highest authorities. The 25 next october, the agents suspected of having been responsible for the tragedy will be tried at the Cotonou court of first instance.
Whatever the outcome of this trial, the very fact of having already taken the matter to court is a success for all consumers who know that, from now on, they can demand accountability from any natural or legal person responsible for disappointments due to negligence. Presque tous les secteurs de l’administration publique sont concernés par le manque de professionnalisme de certains agents mais ce qui frappe le plus au Bénin est la défaillance du secteur de l’énergie électrique.
Benin has experienced its worst load shedding in years 1996. At the time, it happened that neighborhoods suffered power cuts for days. The situation was then explained by the lack of water at the Akosombo dam in Ghana., dam that supplied electricity to this country, in Togo and Benin. Measures had been taken to bring Benin to be self-sufficient in energy but instead, these efforts generated more financial scandals than electricity. Fixes have since been made but despite this, failures remain in the current distribution. In view of this situation, the case of the CNHU-HKM is just one anecdote among many others with a more or less tragic outcome.
Beyond the healthcare sector, those who suffer the most are the craftsmen and industrialists whose activity depends on the permanent supply of electricity. Public administration itself is not the rest. More, to deal with this chronic failure, most utilities have generators. More, in many cases, these are of no help because they are broken down or lacking fuel at the very moment when they are supposed to be called upon even though budgets for this exist.
To put an end to this situation which is hampering the development of the country, there is no better solution than accountability, as is done in the case of CNHU-HKM. Certainly, the people presented to the Prosecutor are presumed innocent but the very fact of having designated those responsible is a step which indicates the direction to follow from now on for any such situation.
Pierre MATCHOUDO