By Musa Bah
No form of development can take place in the absence of a constant, clean and uninterrupted supply of potable water.
Even the United Nations recognises this as a basic fundamental human right. The provision of potable water is so vital that it affects all sections of human life.
If people lack potable water for an extended period of time, the consequences can be very dire indeed. The first casualty of this horrendous problem will be the health of the population. The transfer of communicable diseases will ravage the country and further stretch our already beleaguered health sector. This in turn will batter our depleted economy and will result in the skyrocketing of goods and services.
With a sick population, the workforce which is the engine of the economy will dwindle fast and, God help us all if our economy is unable – and it is certainly not robust at present – to withstand any further lashing from an inflated medical bill from our hospitals. Let’s face it, without potable water nothing can be achieved. It is not an exaggeration to say that water is life. Nothing can be achieved in the absence of clean and potable water.
Yet, for the past few days, if not weeks, the constant lack of water supply has assailed many parts of the country. The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) seems unable to solve their seemingly perennial problem of supplying water and electricity constantly. What is being done about this?
Gambians are tired of the same old story of Generator Number Six, Five, Three or that there was a leakage in Brikama, Bundung or other places which is making it impossible for them to provide us with water and electricity. It is time government takes serious action to solve these problems once and for all.
The Gambia is such a small country that it is unfathomable that our government cannot even provide this basic need. Isn’t it time that the government started looking for other solutions as far as the same old system has repeatedly failed us?
It is futile trying to do something the same way for fifty-two years with no result and we are still adamant and persistently repeating the same method. It is time to start thinking outside the box!
We need water and electricity ASAP!
Have a good day Mr President.
