#National News

D21M data collection project begins

Feb 2, 2021, 9:05 PM | Article By: Sanna Jallow

A 21-million-dalasi project designed to help improve data collection and identification of NAWEC obsolete or damaged equipment such as readable meters, transformer poles for upgrade and replacement has begun in earnest.

The project is being funded by World Bank and supervised by The Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS) and the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC).  

Speaking at the ceremony, Nani Juwara, managing director of NAWEC, outlined the significance of the project to his institution, saying this particular exercise is at the nucleus of the success of the Boka IMS project in making sure that they have dependable data not just for their international operations, but to better serve their local customers.

The project, he added, is under component three of The Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernisation Project (GERMP)

Christ Trimble, World Bank representative, congratulated NAWEC and GBOS for the project, adding that the project is to help NAWEC to improve and modernise its services to the next level.

Alasan Jagne, change manager of NAWEC said the data collection exercise is part of Boka Information Management System project and the largest is The Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization project.

Jange informed that the project seeks to improve operational performance and enhance corporate governance of NAWEC in a sustainable manner by providing NAWEC with the best tools for the modern and efficient management of its customers corporate resources.

“The Boka Information and Management Services to be successful, we need accurate data in that regard and NAWEC partnered with GBOS to conduct a data collection exercise for our customs.’’

However, for the exercise to be successful, he said, there is need to raise the awareness to their customers and the benefits they stand to gain.

“Publicity campaign was done through radios, TVs and also bill boards and also drama play in different languages so as to raise more awareness on the data collection exercise.’’

Matarr Manjang, data collection coordinator at NAWEC, appealed to the general public to grant the data collectors access to information included in NAWEC meters and other properties, something he said, would help them improve in their customer services.

Alieu Saho, a representative from GBOS underscored the need for the for the public to know the significant role of the data collection exercise, further urging the public to give accurate information to the staff conducting the exercise.