The President of Burkina Faso, Roch Christian Kaboré (picture), has last Saturday, launched the special rural electrification programme (PSER). The initiative will provide access to electricity to 22,000 households. Its cost is estimated at CFA25 bilion (about $44.7 million) which will be provided by the World Bank and the Power sector support project (PASEL).

PSER’s overall objective is to, in the long term, electrify 822 communities spread across the country’s 13 regions. The scheme will be supported by the World Bank in 189 communities, according to Le Faso. Its implementation falls under the national plan for economic and social development (PNDES).

The communities will be connected to the national grid, with hybrid systems using solar energy and diesel, and will also receive domestic solar kits.

Gwladys Johnson