It would be recalled that following the ratification of the financing earmarked for the Component 4 by the National Assembly, the project’s procurement tender was launched in August 2023 and ended in November 2023, during which multiple bidders expressed interest. On completion, The Gambia Sustainable Energy Project (GSEC) will result in up to 1000 solar systems in schools and about 100 solar systems in the hospitals and other health facilities across the country.
Giving a synopsis of the whole initiative, Lamin Camara, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, recalled that few years ago, The Gambia with funding from European Union and European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a funding agreement amounting to 120 million Euros, a part of which is to provide solar connectivity to schools and hospital across the country.
The process, he said, is ongoing and which led to the formation of the Sustainable Energy Service Company (SESCO), which is responsible for implementing and managing the project.
For her part, Enricka Pellacani, head of Cooperation European Union Delegation to The Gambia, while expressing gratitude to witness the event, congratulated the government of the Gambia for achieving this important result; the signing of those two contracts that will allow acquisition and installation of solar energy to approximately 1000 schools as well as 100 health facilities across the country.
This programme, she acknowledged, is important to EU as it is part of their strategy of promoting and helping government to ensure a green Gambia.
The EU official maintained that the project will allow service continuity especially in basic services, citing health and educational services.
She reminded that this support is part of a larger initiative dubbed- The Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project (GERMP), for which she added, EU has provided significant grants alongside a concessional loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) amounting to Euro 105 million or approximately 7.7 billion dalasis.
To that end, Pellacani reaffirmed the commitment of the EU to support the country and its citizens in ensuring an efficient and reliable access to energy as an essential element of this vision.
Abdoulie Jallow, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Finance, who is also the chair of the SESCO board of directors, described the day as another significant milestone towards the commencing of the successful implementation of component four of the Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project (GERMP), which is jointly funded by European Union and European Investment Bank.
PS Jallow recalled that after securing the financing, a project procurement tender was launched in August 2023 and ended in November 2023, during which a total of 89 bidders from 33 countries expressed interest in the tender.
“Following a diligent evaluation process conducted by experts from Gamworks, Nawec and supported by a technical assistance firm, Azorom Power Consultant, Ecosys JV from Lebanon and CMC Consortium from China were the most responsive across all categories.’
To that end, PS Jallow congratulated both companies for the achievement, pointing out that the day’s event highlights the beginning of implementation in earnest as the country hopes to have the first solar systems installed in targets sites by November 2024.
He on behalf of the government of The Gambia expressed gratitude to EU delegation to The Gambia.
Georges Geha, chairman- general manager, ECOSYS and Pascal Wang, Africa Regional Director Sino SOAR, both expressed delight to sign this important project as contractors, further expressing their resolve to work towards the full and timely delivery of the project.
Wang of Sino Soar, expressed his institution’s resolve to deliver good quality work, acknowledging that the Chinese company is specialised in renewable energy and operating in Africa, South Asia and North America.
