By Olimatou Coker
The Gambia on Thursday hosted the 11th Extraordinary Session of the OMVG Council of Ministers held in Bakadaji hotel.
The meeting brought together a diverse group of experts, each with a unique perspective and expertise, that contributes to the sustainable development, and management of the River Gambia and the Sub-region – improving lives and livelihoods.
Ebrima Jawara, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Natural Resources, said the meeting is a precursor for the ministerial gathering, which in itself is a precursor for the Heads of State and Government meeting.
“For the long-awaited 11th Ordinary Session of the OMVG Conference of Heads of State and Government, currently being chaired by His Excellency Mr. Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of The Gambia. Since we are all inter-related, being one family, official languages aside, I am confident that we will have a successful, and productive meeting that shall pave the way for our Honourable Ministers to have a smooth meeting on the 6th of January 2024.”
P.S Jawara further stated that as they engage in discussions, “let us draw inspiration from our sub-region’s resilience and unity, aiming to foster greater regional integration, economic development, and social well-being, for the betterment of our peoples.”
Daouda Samba Sow, Secretary General of OMVG, highlighted that the meeting is an opportunity for all experts and the team of the OMVG High Commission to discuss issues of capital interest of the OMVG River Basin Development Projects and Programs.
“This present meeting, which is being held after that of the 4th ordinary session of the Council of Ministers, held in Dakar in November 2023, will examine all the documents of the 11th Conference of Heads of State and Government. of the OMVG with a view to proposing recommendations to the 114th extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers of the OMVG.”
S.G Sow also informed the gathering of the completion, during December 2023, of all construction work on the lines and substations of the 1,677km long OMVG interconnection loop and the energization of all 15 source stations in the network. “This is how the Bissau substation has been energized since November 23, 2023, from the Kalétaand Souapiti hydroelectric power stations of Guinea. The completion of this construction work on lines and substations of the OMVG interconnection loop will very soon allow the synchronization of the four national electricity networks and will facilitate the exchanges of electrical energy which are already in progress between Senegal and the Gambia. All that remains is the installation work of the dispatching centers of Linsan and Tambacounda.”
He urged all the members to increase their technical and financial support to the OMVG for the diligent implementation of the projects in their entirety.
“I am convinced of the importance of your deliberations on all the questions of this preparatory meeting. This is why I remain convinced that during this meeting, in your capacity as experts of the Council of Ministers of the OMVG, you will examine the various questions with your usual professionalism so that together, we can meet the challenge of achieving dynamization of our organization,” he said.
