President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno stepped up monitoring and evaluation meetings this week on sectors vital to Chad’s development.
Two major projects were reviewed: access to drinking water and electricity, as well as infrastructure to open up the country, pillars of the head of state’s political agenda.
A firm focus on water and energy.
On Tuesday, a tense meeting was held to discuss the performance of the Ministry of Water and Energy. The head of state, in a critical tone, demanded factual reports, denouncing the discrepancies between official data and reality. He reaffirmed that access to drinking water and electricity constitutes a fundamental right for every citizen.
Minister Passalé Kanabé Marcelin detailed ongoing efforts, such as increasing water production capacity in Abéché, construction sites in Am-Djarass, Biltine, and Mao, and the partial delivery of 57 mini-castles in Mandoul and Salamat. However, delays and poor workmanship persist, and some work has stalled.
Regarding energy, the reality is more mixed: of the 48 MW planned by ADERM, only 16 MW are available. Major projects such as the Denali thermal power plant and the Djarmaya solar power plant are nevertheless expected to significantly increase the country’s energy capacity as early as August.
The president castigated the mismanagement of SNE and STE, and ordered strong measures, including the expulsion of a recalcitrant service provider.
Infrastructure Progress, but Under Vigilance
The following day, another meeting focused on infrastructure to improve access to land, as part of “project number 8” of the presidential program.
Minister Amir Idriss Kourda presented encouraging results: 149 km of paved roads, 33 km of urban roads, 700 km of maintained roads, 143 km of rural tracks developed, a bridge inaugurated, and several retention basins completed. Despite this progress, the Head of State denounced slow progress on certain projects, emphasizing that access to land is a strategic priority.
He demanded an acceleration of work, rigorous resource management, prompt payment of companies, and strict enforcement of the Public Procurement Code. Through these meetings, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno affirmed demanding governance, based on accountability and constant monitoring.
“The time for speeches is over,” he declared, calling for concrete action. He recalled that ministers and officials will be summoned at any time to justify the progress of projects, thus marking a break with past practices.
