For years, there has been a constant problem in the supply of electricity in The Gambia. The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) constantly apologize for not being able to give a constant and reliable supply of electricity to the citizens of the country.
Considering the small size of the country and the small population, one would have thought that government would make adequate and proper arrangements to make sure that the people of the country receive a reliable supply of electricity and water.
Sometimes, the problem gets so bad that within the course of twenty-four hours, electricity goes off three to four times in some areas. At other times, a neighborhood can stay for a whole day or two without any electricity at all. In this twenty first century one would have thought that this would have been a thing of the past.
Recently, it became so much worse that some neighborhoods receive only a few hours of electricity supply in a day. It was rumored that it was a problem of load shedding as some areas were given priority because there were guests who had come to attend the summit of the Organization of Islamic Countries. It is hoped that now that the OIC is over, things will improve.
Considering the importance of energy and the vital role it plays in attracting investors into a country, it is unfathomable that government has not given it all the planning and arrangements it deserves so that it will be made available and accessible to the population. It is simple logic and can be understood by anyone that having a constant and reliable supply of electricity attracts a lot of investments into the economy of the country.
Conversely, an unreliable and erratic supply of electricity discourages investors from coming to pump their hard earned money into the country. This will therefore have a negative impact on the economy and of course, will heighten the unemployment problem.
It is high time therefore that government gave the provision of electricity a serious thought and find ways of solving the problem once and for all. This is a prerequisite for development.
