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Benin President Boni Yayi launches national lighting program

Xinhua, February 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

Benin President Boni Yayi on Thursday launched a national lighting program dubbed "Lighting for All" which is aimed at ensuring all Beninese families, without exception, access minimum energy supply.

"The program which will ensure distribution of solar lamps to all students in primary and secondary schools, will guarantee lighting in all households," the president said when he launched the program in Decoungbe, 40 km West of Cotonou.

It will ensure the whole country is pulled out of darkness within six months, he explained.

"It is a real challenge and we are in the process of addressing it. The logistical chain is already in place and distributions have already began," he pointed out.

The president further announced that public schools and health centers will be equipped with autonomous solar power systems to improve their learning and treatment conditions.

"Lighting for All program which will cost a total of 40 billion CFA Francs (about 70 million U.S. dollars), will cost nothing to Beninese population as it will be largely funded by a number of technical and financial partners," he explained.

Benin's successive governments have failed to invest in the energy sector, something that has hampered development in the interior of the country.

In the last ten years, Benin's energy sector has witnessed cyclical crises. The crises were essentially brought about by the chronic power blackouts that severely affected the country's socioeconomic activities. Endit