The
Minister of Tourism Hamat Bah said the coalition government has inherited a
chronic mechanical problem at the National Water and Electricity Company
(NAWEC) which requires over 6 million euros to fix.
“A
mechanical problem requiring 6 million euros to fix, one week of fuel reserve
and badly damaged generators were all we found at NAWEC,” he said while
speaking at an Islamic conference in Bjilo at the weekend where he represented
the government along the president’s special adviser on good governance and religious
matters, Dembo Bojang.
“We
had to search for funds to fix the problem as soon as we assumed office but the
repair works are near completion at the power stations now,” he added.
Hon.
Bah was reacting to calls by Imam Tafsir Gaye of Banjul for prayers to
government to be able to fix the recurrent power problem facing the country.
The
Imam also called for patience from the population, saying “the new government
just assumed office and has been embarking on a difficult reconstruction
process”.
However,
the tourism minister said the Gambia’s chronic power problem had been in the
country for 52 years and people should not expect President Adama Barrow to fix
that within five months.
“However,
there are ongoing deals to boost our national electricity production capacity
with new generators on top of the already existing ones. Once complete, the perennial power problems
will be a thing of the past for the population,” he assured.
“We
signed a deal with Senegalese electricity company, Senelec, to purchase surplus
electricity at minimum costs and then use that to supply the entire rural
Gambia while works continue to fix our own.
“Once
that is complete, we will resume supplying countrywide and even generate
surplus that we can export to countries like Bissau.”
The
Senegalese ambassador to The Gambia, Prof. Saliou Ndiaye, reiterated that The
Gambia and Senegal are one.
“Anything
that one of us can offer to the other, the two governments will work on
modalities in ensuring it is done for the interest of both of our people,” he
said.
