By Yirikuntu Bojang
John Jatta the new deputy managing director of the nation’s water and electricity company, Nawec was born at the RVTH in Banjul on 20 February 1984. He holds a master’s degree from Cranfield University, UK in Thermal Power Engineering and Management.
As a strong advocate for new power solutions for developing countries, he is also a member of the newly established Renewable Energy Unit of Nawec which was established to deal with all related renewable energy matters.
Since his employment cycle began at Nawec in 2008 as a mechanical engineer graduate from the People’s Friendship University of Russia, he has undergone numerous internationally recognised trainings at some of the world’s best institutions.
At Nawec, John Jatta rose up the ranks from his starting position as mechanical engineer at Kotu Power Station under the supervision of Taskforce Service Engineer Steve Clayton to his last engineering position as a senior engineer at the power plant before his recent deployment as planning engineer. In his 9 to 10 years of service, John has been on a number of integral official missions to map out the way for the future of power generation, transmission and distribution in The Gambia.
As a four-year lecturer at the Nawec Training School, John Jatta has always shown a keen desire for knowledge and technology transfer as one of the key elements for the development of a sustainable power generation system which will stabilise supply in an economy that cannot develop fully without stable supply of electricity and water. His interaction and communication skills with youth and colleagues can be seen from his involvement in youth matter through his educational cycle at Ndow’s Comprehensive, St Peter’s Secondary School and his involvement with student government in university.
John Jatta is a brilliant engineer, Univeristy of The Gambia lecturer and most importantly, a believer in the unavoidable necessity of a stable supply of water and electricity with sustainable development plans in collaboration with all stakeholders. It is strongly believed that together with the managing director, management and staff of Nawec, with support from the government of President Adama Barrow, the future of Nawec and in extension, the economy of The Gambia is looking upward.
