The
Ministry of Petroleum, in partnership with the National Water and Electricity
Company, yesterday began a two-day donor conference to validate an electricity
sector roadmap for The Gambia.
The
roadmap has short and medium term plans to solve the current electricity
shortage in the country and achieve the government’s vision in the energy sector.
Speaking
at the conference held at the Kairaba Hotel, the Minister of Petroleum Fafa
Sanyang said the government is committed to providing affordable and
sustainable energy supply to the entire citizenry of the country as stated in
the National Energy Policy and other development blueprints.
He
said the primary focus of the roadmap is to provide a Least Cost Power
Development Plan (LCPDP) that will determine investment required in power
generations, transmission and distribution and restructuring NAWEC into a
financially viable enterprise.
The
minister said the roadmap will stand as a platform for stakeholders,
government, and international community with a reference point to guide
decision-making in the electricity sector.
Hon.
Sanyang said the first phase of the roadmap aims to minimise disruption and
blackouts in the Greater Banjul Area by providing at least 70mw by the end of
2017.
The
second phase, 2018 – 2020, is to close the generation gap and investment in
electricity transmission and distribution as well as commission the first
Independent Power Producers. The third
phase, Sanyang said, aims to scale generation to 250mw to expand access.
The
minister said more than $500 million needs to be invested in the energy sector
from now on to 2025 of which $189 million is expected from the private sector
through IPPs generation infrastructure, and $334 million from the public sector
and $157 million is already in the pipeline living a gap for T&D and
access.
Baba
Fatajo, managing director of NAWEC, said the energy sector roadmap “is a
milestone” for the energy sector as it will play a crucial role in the socio
economic development of the nation.
“The
electricity sub sector has experience and continues to face tremendous
challenges that require solutions,” he said. “The roadmap will help NAWEC
create solutions to the power supply situation for sustainable development.”
The
NAWEC MD said the roadmap would minimise disruption by closing generation gap,
improve investment in the transmission and distribution of network,
introduction of mix energy, promotion of private sector participation, access
expansions, tapping regional synergies such as (OMVG) and loss reduction Gambia
resent development in the political and governance arena has succeeded in
drawing the positive consideration international community.
Dawda
Fadera, secretary general and head of the civil service, said the roadmap will
transform and modernise the country’s energy sector.
“The
energy sector situation makes it difficult and expensive for value added
production and businesses to effectively operate in The Gambia.
