The Turkish energy company operating in The Gambia, Karpowership, recently donated food items worth about D1,800,000 (US$30,000) to the Government of The Gambia.
The foodstuff presented to Vice President Badara Joof at State House were handed over to the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) for distribution to the victims of the recent rainstorms and floods that devastated communities across the country.
In presenting the donations, Karpowership regional director for Africa, Emre Durmu?o?lu stated: “I am here to sympathise with the people and the government of The Gambia at a difficult time. My team in The Gambia has been updating me about the recent floods that affected so many communities and we at Karpowership felt it is very necessary to step up and support the victims through the NDMA. Our donation is complimentary to the support the government has been giving to the flood victims. I pledge my commitment and support of Karpowership. I am assuring the Gambian people that Karpowership will continue to engage more in socially responsible projects in the country.”
The Turkish ambassador in The Gambia, Tolga Bermek, said the Anatolian country and The Gambia enjoy “excellent relations at every level” and that mutual solidarity is one of the main components of the longstanding relationship.
He described Karpowership as the biggest Turkish investor in the country and commended the company for not only fulfilling its mandate of providing electricity but being proactive in fulfilling its social responsibilities by giving back to the people through interventions in diverse areas such as health, education, environmental protection and periodic donation of food items.
“Therefore, I am thankful to Karpowership because on every occasion they prove that they are part of The Gambia and they are committed to the growth and development of the brotherly Gambian people,” Ambassador Bermek stated.
In receiving the donations, Vice President Joof thanked Karpowership for the donations and said it would reduce the household food consumption deficit brought on by the disasters.
He said the government is developing a holistic strategy to address the issues of floods and inundation by constructing waterways and canals and resettling some of the victims who are settled in waterways.
This, he said, will involve land allocation, compensation, and shelter provisions.
These, he said, are structural problems that needed to be addressed systematically to ensure a permanent solution.
He expressed his hope that Karpowership and the government of Turkey will help in this regard when approached.
The executive directive of NDMA,
The donated foodstuff included 200 bags of rice, 50 bags of sugar, 50 boxes of milk powder, 40 boxes of edible oil, 50 boxes of canned beef, 40 boxes of tea and drinks, and 20 boxes of Vermicelli noodles.
The executive director of the NDMA Sanna Dahaba and Karpowership country manager Omar Njie were present at the handing over ceremony.
