By Olimatou Coker
The Ministry Petroleum and Energy in collaboration with the Gambia Standards Bureau together with ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency has on Friday inaugurated Gambia’s first ever lighting testing lab in Abuko.
The project is implemented in five components with the objective to demonstrate the use of energy efficient lighting and appliances as well as promote the use of efficient cooking stoves.
The testing laboratory is said to enhance the penetration of energy efficient light bulbs in the country, thus in line with the SE4All initiative.
The laboratory has been installed with two light testing machines (Integrating Sphere for testing basic parameters of light products, and Goniophotometer for testing advanced parameters).
Papa Secka, Director General of the Standards Bureau, said this landmark development is as a result of the fulfillment of one of the most important mandates of the Bureau and that is the provision of high quality conformity assessment services, which consists of inspection, certification of goods and services and testing. It is one of the pillars of the national quality infrastructure in addition to standards, metrology and accreditation.
“In order to address the testing challenges of the country, the bureau with the support of our alliance of trade, industrial, regional integration and employment began work to put in place a National Quality Center a few years back, for your information the bureau had already established a national metrology laboratory at the time of its establishment on this very site.”
DG Secka added that the establishment of the National lighting testing laboratory was a major delivery of the UNIDO, GEF six project entitled “operationalization of the CSEE for all action agenda, promoting inclusive environmentally sound, low carbon development”.
Amie Njie, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, said the dissemination of energy efficiency, lighting and appliances will effectively contribute to national efforts in reducing pressure on the energy grid.
PS Njie added that the replacement of inefficient lights and appliances with efficient devices will also minimize the need for emergency power generation capacity that is fossil fuel base.
“With the establishment of this infrastructure which is a laboratory to help the government to test the light products imported into the country. It is critical to develop a policy and regulatory framework that will integrate the realization of the full benefit of this magnificent project to this end the ministry of petroleum and energy in collaboration with the Gambia standard bureau And key stakeholder institutions will work quickly on a robust regulatory framework to ensure effective and efficient regulation of clients in the country. Thus, the ministry was suddenly in touch with all of the stakeholders in due for your valuable inputs in developing the necessary policy or regulatory frameworks.”
Metta Lily French, ECOWAS Resident Representative in the Gambia, said energy efficiency programs at ECREE aim to strengthen the uptake of efficient and sustainable energy appliances and fuels to meet the SDG7. “It is therefore necessary at this stage to refresh our minds on the efforts of the ECOWAS Commission through ECREE to bring sustainable energy service to its citizens.”
