The government in Banjul last weekend expressed regret over the acute electricity shortage especially in urban localities where outages lasting for more than 24 hours are blamed on external factors.
According to an information ministry statement, the issues behind the power crisis are being addressed through interventions, investments, and regional cooperation within framework of the OMVG.
The National Water and Electricity Compny (NAWEC) said the challenges are linked to a technical crisis in supply chain sources in Senegal and Guinea under the OMVG power project.
Nawec said there would be a gradual return to the usual energy supply by the middle of June as electricity imports are reduced by up to 60 megawatts due to technical issues and fuel shortages affecting generation facilities within the regional network.
The compay said the situation has been compounded as domestic backup generation remains not fully available due to operational limitations and ongoing maintenance work.
The company reported a technical fault on one of its substations which was being addressed.
”As a result, there is currently a significant shortfall exceeding 50% of electricity demand” it said.
Consumers have been expressing frustration over the shortage and blamed the government for improper management of the country’s water and energy crisis especially during the festive Muslim period of Eid-Adha.
Homes and offices in the Greater Banjul Area have witnessed less than six hours of energy supply a day in the last two weeks, leaving Gambia’s burgeoning army of consumers increasingly restless and demanding answers.
Meanwhile in response to strong criticism from sections of the public, the information ministry said it is deeply concerned about what it calls the ”spread of misinformation, deliberate distortions, and politically motivated narratives circulating on social media and certain online platforms regarding issues of governance, corruption, and recent electricity supply challenges”.
While acknowledging the intermittent power shortages, the ministry levels cricitism at those who ”chose to exploit these temporary challenges to spread falsehoods, undermine public confidence, and score cheap political points rather than contribute constructively to national dialogue and solutions”.
It professes being ”firmly committed to transparency, accountability, and responsible governance” and lebels allegations of corruption as ”social media propaganda, political sensationalism, or coordinated misinformation campaigns aimed solely at scoring cheap political points and creating public distrust”.
The ministry reminds critics of the government that the leadership of President Adama Barrow ”has achieved significant progress in expanding national electricity access, improving generation capacity, and modernising energy infrastructure over recent years”.
By its estimation, such strides in the energy sector should not be downplayed.
WN/as/APA