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GOOD MORNING MR. PRESIDENT: It’s Nawec again!

Nov 11, 2019, 2:20 PM

During your campaign 2016, you promised the Gambian populace that your government would bring great improvement in electricity and water supply and good ferries, which we no doubt agree, a lot has been achieved in that area.

The electricity supply in the rural areas has improved drastically for the past year with the partnership of the Senegalese Electricity Company (SENELEC) compared to before when electricity was not available or of poor service.

Mr. President, recently, there are lots of complaints in many areas for lack of electricity and also people lack water which is a basic necessity of life. The service has not been satisfactory for the past few months.

Whatever is wrong should be communicated to the general public by NAWEC. The utility company should communicate all their problems through the local media and not social media as majority of NAWEC consumers certainly do not have access to social media. We wonder why that was only chosen medium to talk about this load shedding which has affected lot of businesses including media houses.

In October this year, The Federal Republic of Germany handed over 1.3 Million Euro power stabilization project to Gambia’s National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) with a view to improving the electricity supply in the country. Therefore, one needs to ask how far that project is on going.

France also early this year pledged 50 million Euros to the government of The Gambia in order to improve the water supply in the country; thus it is important for the government or NAWEC to communicate to Gambia  as to how this project is also going on.

Mr. President, the issue of the dumpsite in Abuko that caused the closure of two schools, leading to over 6000 students staying at home is unacceptable and action needs to be taken soonest.

All the authorities and stakeholders involved need to come together and find a lasting solution to this nagging problem. The community dumping rubbish there also needs to be addressed. They need to be told about the menace of irresponsible dumping and they must desist from the practice. Mr. President, we commend the KMC for the recent clearing of the roadsides by moving the side vendors and parked cars that caused obstructions to the highway.

This should be a continuous process and the petty traders and vendors whose daily duties and levies are being collected should be provided with space to continue their daily business. Mechanics and welders who do not have garages should be cleared from the streets. Finally Mr. President, there is a serious swift in the political arena. Your former political ‘god father’ who initially vowed to sue anyone who challenged your five year term in office has now joined the 3 years term campaign too.

Mr. President you too changed your mind to opt for five years as required by the constitution.

It should be the interest of all of you to enter dialogue for the benefit of the nation to nurture peace. Politicians, religious leaders, human rights activists and journalists should meet soonest with you to end this impasse.

Without peace, nothing can happen in terms of development and businesses.

Good day!