Chad threatens to halt oil production over row with World Bank

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2006

N'DJAMENA (AFP) — Chad will suspend oil production from April 18 unless it can recover funds that have been blocked by a British bank because of a dispute between N'Djamena and the World Bank, Human Rights Minister Abderamane Djasnabaille said.

"The decision was approved by the cabinet this morning. We will turn off the oil tap at midday (1100 GMT) on Tuesday April 18 if we don't get back the money the World Bank has blocked in the Citibank account in London," he told AFP.

"We urgently need money to solve the country's social problems," Djasnabaille said.

"We have problems in paying salaries and pensions, our hospitals lack supplies and medicines... I visited the hospital in N'Djamena yesterday... It's not normal for people who defend our country to have to...