Power shortages in Eritrea are the result of spiraling global oil prices, a senior Eritrean official tells VOA. In a wide-ranging interview with VOA, Eritrean Minister of Information Ali Abdu, said that because of high oil prices and the government’s expansion of electricity to more than 100-villages, his government had no choice but to cut energy supply to consumers.
Information Minister Ali also denied the allegation of the U.N. humanitarian representative for the Horn of Africa, Kjell Bondevik, that 100-thousand tons of food is rotting in storage because of Eritrea's decisions to stop free food distribution for most recipients. Ali stressed that free food distribution only creates dependency.
The information minister also discussed development activities in Eritrea, including road construction, new housing and the rebuilding of the ports of Massawa and Assab.