Document exposes nearly $870 million corruption deal, sparking outrage in Hadramout

HADRAMOUT, May 30 (YPA) -An official document has exposed a $870 million corruption deal involving the lease of a 100 MW emergency power station in Yemen’s eastern province of Hadramout, which is under the control of the Saudi-led coalition.

The document – addressed to Saudi Ambassador Mohammed Al Jaber by pro-coalition Hadramout Governor Mabkhout bin Madi in late September 2024 – reveals urgent requests to quell public unrest over electricity blackouts.

Bin Madi noted that he had signed a contract with ‘Gulf Energy” Company’ to supply a 100 MW emergency power station running on fuel oil (mazut).

The document obtained by Yemen Press Agency (YPA) reveals that the agreement obligates the company to supply the required mazut fuel to operate the power station in an amount exceeding 1,140,000 tons over six years, at a price of $400 per ton.

The total cost of the power station lease and mazut fuel amounts to approximately $870 million, yet it has brought no tangible improvements to electricity services for the residents in the province.

According to the document, Bin Madi offered a proposal to the Saudi ambassador to cover half of the cost through the so-called “Saudi Reconstruction Program” over three years, without addressing the status of the agreement with Gulf Energy.

This move sparked angry reactions from Hadramout activists.

Meanwhile, the Hadramout Tribal Alliance has been demanding since July 2024 that revenues from crude oil stored at the Al-Nushaymah oil terminal on the Arabian Sea be allocated to purchase electricity generators for coastal and valley districts. However, the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council and pro coalition-government have repeatedly evaded these calls.

@E.Y.M