West Africa: ECOWAS Conducts Seminar for Journalists On Increased Electricity Access

Cotonou, Benin — Access to electricity remains a headache for about 208 of the over 406 million people living in West Africa and the Sahel regions. And because energy is consequential to achieving sustainable development and poverty reduction in the sub and the Sahel regions, the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), in partnership with the West African Development Bank (WADB) has launched the Regional Off-Grid Electrification Project (ROGEAP) to increase access to electricity for households, businesses and public institutions using modern, standalone solar technology through a harmonized regional approach.

Recognizing the significance of the media in achieving the project's objectives, a regional workshop to sensitize and build the capacity of journalists on the ROGEAP project and the off-grid energy sector to understand the implementation mechanisms, objectives, is being held in Cotonou, Republic of Benin.

In his remarks at the opening session of the workshop, Abdoulie Gassama, chairman of ROGEAP journalist network highlighted the crucial role of the media in awareness rising for the successful implementation of the project.

Underscoring the existential significance of energy supply, he affirmed that it is the business of the media to sensitize ECOWAS citizens on the key components of the ROGEAP project and the level of preparedness.

"It is also the primary responsibility of the media to report and provide extensive news coverage of the project implementation stages", he stated. The media, he continued, should also create awareness to enable authorities devote resources and create incentives for private sector investments in the ROGEAP Project.

He cautioned that members of the media should understand that the survival of the entire ECOWAS population is highly depended on the supply of energy not only in the cities but also in the villages and hamlets across the region and the ROGEAP Project has come to help to address the issue.

"The Media should direct its awareness campaign on the entire population in the 19-member countries especially the womenfolk who plays a crucial role in businesses and other household energy cooking solutions", he said.

For his part, the Deputy Chief of staff to the Minister of Energy of Benin, Franck Tigri pledged the government's unflinching support to the implementation of the project in Benin. Already, he said, the project is in line with the agenda of the government of the Republic of Benin to increase off-grid electricity for the rural population.

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