President Adama Barrow has defended his government’s record on electricity provision, rejecting criticism over persistent power outages and assuring Gambians that ongoing investments in the energy sector will eventually bring an end to the country’s electricity crisis.
Speaking on the current challenges facing the national power supply, President Barrow said his administration was taking both immediate and long-term measures to address electricity shortages, while dismissing suggestions that the government had failed to act.
The President pointed to increased electricity access as one of the major achievements of his administration, contrasting the current situation with what he described as the limited access available when he assumed office.
“When I took office, only 35 percent of Gambians had access to electricity,” President Barrow said. “For over 52 years, only 35 percent of the country got access to electricity. But under my leadership, we have expanded access so that about 90 percent of Gambians now have access to electricity across the country.”
The President’s comments come amid continuing concerns over power outages affecting households, businesses and other institutions across the country.
To address immediate generation constraints, President Barrow announced that three heavy-duty generators are currently being transported to Banjul. The additional generating capacity, he said, is intended to strengthen the national grid and provide relief from the recent disruptions in electricity supply.
Beyond the emergency measures, the government is also looking to increase the country’s reliance on renewable energy.
President Barrow said construction of a major 50-megawatt solar power plant is expected to begin soon, describing the project as part of his administration’s broader strategy to strengthen electricity generation and reduce the country’s dependence on conventional power sources.
According to the President, the combination of additional thermal generation and expanded solar capacity will significantly improve the reliability of electricity supply in The Gambia.
He also expressed an ambitious long-term vision for the country’s energy sector, suggesting that increased generation capacity could eventually enable The Gambia to supply electricity to neighbouring countries.
“We will have electricity to the extent that we will supply neighboring countries,” President Barrow assured.
