Mauritanian official reassigned after power station fires
Akhrambali Ould Mohamed Lehbib moves to hydrocarbons company one week after dismissal from electricity firm following an investigation into recent fires.
Mauritania's Council of Ministers appointed Akhrambali Ould Mohamed Lehbib as the new director general of the Mauritanian Hydrocarbons Company. This appointment comes approximately one week after his dismissal from the helm of the Mauritanian Electricity Company, Somelec.
Lehbib's removal followed the release of an investigation report into two fires at Nouakchott's electrical substations in August. The report cited irregularities in awarding contracts for electrical cables and in overseeing their installation, including selecting a vendor lacking qualifications and altering cable specifications without proving equivalence.
The investigation also noted that cables were activated before technical reservations were cleared and that protection requirements were unmet. The fires caused significant power outages in the capital. President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani ordered the government to implement the report's recommendations and make the findings public.
Why it mattersThe public is affected by the power outages caused by the fires and the subsequent investigation into contract irregularities.