A crisis of governance affects West African Energy (WAE), the operator of the electricity plant at Cap des Biches. This morning, Abdou Karim Diop, recently appointed interim director general, was prevented from accessing the installations by the security agents. According to witnesses on the spot, Abdou Karim Diop, accompanied by advisers of the Prime Minister, presented himself at the gates of the plant, but his entry was refused. La sécurité sur place would have required a formal validation of the shareholders before authorizing. This is the case of the French company “L’Accès”, which illustrates a deep split between the various parties involved in the company. This situation arose in a context of turbulence marked by the arrest of Samuel Sarr, the former WAE leader, for abuse of social goods. Since then, the question of his succession has been the subject of intense disagreement, with several shareholders contesting the legitimacy of Abdou Karim Diop as head of the company. The case takes an even more sensitive turn as several influential figures in the sector, including Abdoulaye Dia (Senico) and Abdou Karim Diop (Locafrique), have been audited in the context of the ongoing investigation. In the light of the above, the Commission considers that the aid granted to the West African Power Company (WAE) for the construction of the power plant is compatible with the internal market.
West African Energy in full turmoil: the interim director refoulé to Cap des Biches
