Burao, (Hornpost) – The committee appointed by President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Ciro) to resolve the ongoing disputes between electricity companies in Burao, led by the Minister of Energy and Minerals of the republic of Somaliland, Eng. Axmed Jaamac Barre, carried out an on-site inspection of the power companies operating in the city.
The delegation also included the Minister of Transport and Road Development of the republic of Somaliland, Osman Afgab, the Minister of Defence of the republic of Somaliland, Maxamed Yuusuf, The Vice chairman ruling party Wadani Party Mohamed Wabeye, and other government officials.
The inspection visit targeted the facilities of Heco, the former sole electricity provider in Burao, and Nuur Energy, a new company that recently entered the market, sparking a long-standing dispute over electricity service provision in the city.
Alongside the inspection, the committee listened directly to public grievances and complaints regarding the electricity services in Burao. During the visit, the committee gathered community feedback and closely observed the operations and staff of both companies in order to find a viable solution to the conflict.
It is worth noting that a technical team from the Ministry had previously been dispatched to Burao to collect comprehensive data, which now forms the foundation of the committee’s efforts to resolve the conflict.
Speaking to the media after the inspection, the Minister of Energy and Minerals, who also chairs the committee, stated that decisions will soon be issued by the Ministry and the Somaliland Energy Commission. He urged the public to await these official decisions, which aim to provide a lasting solution to the ongoing dispute between the two electricity providers.
Previously, Heco was the sole provider of electricity in Burao, but the emergence of a new competitor, Nuur Energy, led to tensions between the two.
The government of Somaliland, with financial support from the World Bank, is planning a major electricity improvement project in Burao.
However, the implementation of this project has been hindered by the current dispute between the companies and complaints from parts of the local population over electricity services.
Hornpost staff reporter
