5 injured in riots over power blackout in Guinean capital

  Five people including two security officers were injured in riots over lack of electricity in the Guinean capital Conakry, hospital sources disclosed on Tuesday. The protest-induced violence erupted Monday in Dabompa district before spreading to Lansanaya, where protesters blocked roads, paralyzing movement. Intervention by security forces degenerated into confrontations between protesters and security forces, leaving five people injured. The government dispatched Prime Minister Mohamed Said Fofana to calm the angry protesters. Governor of Conakry Sekou Resco Camara also visited the scene of riots and promised the local residents that power will be restored next week. The riot-hit districts have suffered power shortages for two months due to damage caused to a sub-station of the Guinea Electricity Company (EDG), the company charged with the responsibility of distributing power. Incidents of this nature are frequent in Conakry where power blackout is a major challenge. The authorities have committed themselves to resolve the frequent problem of power shortage by seeking Chinese support for the construction of Kaleta hydroelectric dam at a cost of 400 million U.S. dollars. At the moment, the authorities estimate that 50 percent of the construction at the hydroelectric dam has been completed.