This year’s tour held on theme- “Scams and its effects on consumers”, targets communities such as Bullock, Foni in West Coast Region, Jali, Kwinelleh, Sankuwia and Karantaba all in the Lower River Region; Bati Njoll, Njoben, Galleh Manda, Jarumeh Koto and Bati Ndarr in the Central River Regions and Dampha Kunda and Dingiri in the Upper River Region.
The tour will also continue in Sara Kunda, Dippa Kunda, Suwareh Kunda, Njaba Kunda, Chilla, Sitanunku, Bakindiki and Mbollet-Ba all in the North Bank Region.
The nationwide tour is a biennial initiative, which is now in its tenth (10th) year. The initiative has become a cornerstone of their commitment to fostering development and understanding the challenges communities face in respect to the authority’s regulated utility services.
The “Bantaba” as widely referred to serves as a platform that enables consumers to be better informed, educated and be made aware of their rights and responsibilities in respect of the services that they consume.
Moreover, it is through the community outreach that PURA has advanced and improved internet access and electricity availability in some rural and urban areas,thus allowing residents to begin benefitting from basic but necessary needs.
Shortly before the start of the tour on Tuesday at PURA conference hall, Solo Sima, deputy director general of PURA, highlighted that the outreach is not just seen as a regulatory tool, but also a manifestation of their now established ethos of education, information and communication.
He recalled that over the years their transparency and open interaction has allowed the authority to not only address concerns in a swift and effective manner, but also anticipate future problem areas, which placed PURA as a bastion of strong regulation deeply committed to upholding values of equity and social inclusion.
Sima reiterated that after decades of firm commitment, they have witnessed significant social improvement in numerous communities they have visited with the cooperation of partners and the Government in opening and improving on the energy mix.
Alieu Ngum, chairperson, Board of Directors PURA, said in the ever evolving landscape of deceptive acts courtesy of advancement in technology, where unscrupulous individuals exploit the vulnerable leading to the act of scamming, it is imperative that stakeholders remain cautiously proactive and vigilant in the discharge of their collective responsibilities.
The efforts of the outreach team, he added, will not only touch many lives, but would also sow the seeds of resilience against the deceit that threatens the well-being of those they serve.
“We should understand the significance of our presence in the communities not only as a regulatory body but as a beacon of trust and protection against the rising waves of scams and enhance the overall effectiveness of regulatory compliance in The Gambia.” he added.
