By Omar Bah
The National Water and Electrical Company yesterday signed a two-year uninterrupted electricity supply agreement with KarPower International Limited, a company in Turkey.
The 30 megawatts power supply agreement, which was signed at the Petroleum House in Bijilo, is expected to regulate the electricity situation in the country for a short-term at least for two years.
The ship that will supply the electricity is expected to arrive in Banjul in three weeks and the supply is expected to begin in 7 weeks.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Minister of Energy Fafa Sanyang said the agreement is significant in government’s strives towards providing reliable, stainable and affordable energy supply to Gambians for sustainable economic growth and development.
He said since the Gambia gained independence, the energy sector continues to be a major challenge.
This, he said, prompted the new government and its development partners to recognize the urgency to transform and modernize the energy sector to have a lasting solution to the energy problem.
Although he did not say how much the deal will cost the Gambia, Minister Sanyang said the measure will serve as a short-term plan to improve capacity on the energy sector roadmap.
“The objective is to allow NAWEC to rehabilitate, repair and maintain implementation of its ongoing project to eliminate its energy constraints,” he said.
The MD of NAWEC Baba Fatajo said the contract will provide durable solutions to the energy constraints engulfing the country.
NAWEC, he added, is currently faced with the lack of adequate resources to invest in the energy sector.
“The injection of 30 megawatts deal into the system will go a long way in stabilizing the electricity supply in the country. We will exhaust all measures in ensuring that we improve our service delivery,” he said.
The deal, he added, is a collaborative effort of NAWEC, government and other stakeholders.
The Coordinator, CEO Office at KarPowership, Mehmet Katmer said they will work with NAWEC to deliver sustainable electricity supply to Gambians.
“KATPOWER is confident of fulfilling needed supply as agreed in the agreement,” he concluded.
