“Rail transport: The blockade lifted, of course, but what about the consequences of these 8 days of blockage? »

2023-11-29 18:35:52

This is a column by Josué BONKOUNGOU on railway news.

We noted, on the evening of Tuesday, November 28, 2023, that the barricades erected by a handful of individuals since last November 21, were relatively lifted, allowing trains to resume their movements to serve the country.

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A rather precarious and not reassuring lull because the obstacles which were used to block the railway track were not completely cleared, but just moved a few meters from the track, at the request of the perpetrators of the blockage. Which leaves doubt about a possible resumption of hostilities.

Never mind ! These acts must not go unpunished. According to figures collected from the network operator (SITARAIL), 14 trains (i.e. the equivalent of 560 trucks because 1 single train is equivalent to 40 trucks) of goods were prevented from circulating during the week of blockage.

In this particularly difficult context in our country, where our Authorities and fighting forces make enormous efforts and sacrifices to escort, most often, dozens of trucks in order to supply localities, we cannot admit that a handful of individuals, with their faces uncovered, are blocking a major supply chain in our country.

It is important to know that:
– The Ouaga-Abidjan railway runs nearly 2,000 freight trains annually, the equivalent of more than 30,000 trucks. Which helps preserve our road network.
– Around 1,000,000 tonnes of goods, made up of consumer products (hydrocarbons, foodstuffs, pharmaceutical products, mining equipment, etc.) transit annually by rail.
– These goods belong to or are intended mainly for Burkinabe companies, economic operators or individuals.
– Thousands of direct and indirect jobs are linked to railway activity.
– The railway interconnects our dry ports of Bobo and Ouaga to the seaports of Abidjan, and presents fewer constraints in port operations, unlike trucks.

From all of the above, it is important to work to preserve this tool which plays a major socio-economic role between our countries. A cessation of rail activity will create unbearable pressure on our road networks and corridors (already tested by various causes) through which the commercial flows of our hinterland neighbors also pass. Blocking is therefore not the solution that will help our authorities and our country. Let’s keep reason!

Josué Bonkoungou (Editorialist)

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