(JollofNews) – The Point Newspaper editorial of 8th May 2017 wrote: “We are sure you have taken note that since you took over, the situation of electricity is getting worse.
“Mr President, we understood that during the Jammeh-era, The Gambia had 80MW of electricity, about just half of the projected demand of electricity. But this amount has even further now dropped to 40MW. You need to significantly increase electricity generation to meet the demand which has continued to increase due to several factors, including rising urbanisation rate.
“Mr President, another aspect of the electricity problem is the tariff. As it is, The Gambia has one of the most expensive electricity in the world, an EU study has revealed. The electricity tariff cannot remain at the levels at which it is; it is simply beyond the reach of many Gambians even if there is enough generation capacity. The high cost of electricity in the country limits access to energy for the population as well as for the development of the private sector.
“Once again, Mr President, we hope you would adequately work on the electricity conundrum in the country: the people are dissatisfied with the current state of epileptic electricity supply.”
The issues at hand with the supply of electricity in The Gambia are numerous and must be tackled with bold actions supported by bold and resilient energy policies guided and steered by sound, enlightened, competent and well-meaning persons and boards of directors!
The subject of tariffs or the high cost of units of electricity to the Gambian consumer was indeed created by successive governments that keep passing the cost of incompetence, inefficiencies and corruption to the Gambian consumer. Loopholes and self serving protocols over the years have aided and abetted malfeasance and ineptitude at GUC-NAWEC. The younger management that served under the tutelage of plunder masters have now become senior administrators at NAWEC. It’ll be safe to say that they’re mostly bad eggs!
NAWEC as a body has never been managed well enough to set aside healthy budgets and/or reserves for the purchase of secure fuel stocks for power generation. Even where new generators are purchased, the supply of fuel stocks will continue to be a wrench in the works!
The agency has from, the days of the Gambia Utilities Corporation (GUC), been going hat in hand asking for grants, loans and bank overdrafts to service its obligations to the Gambian public. It is common knowledge to almost all that have done business with GUC that the precursor to NAWEC was fraught with malfeasance, nepotism, incompetence plus every other evil in the book. One could, at the time, illegally purchase a 50-100 meter roll of heavy duty underground electric cable or a fuel tanker truck load of diesel from GUC without anyone noticing! That’s the evil that was inherited by NAWEC and the same mindset still flows within NAWEC.
In the effort to curb corruption and incompetence at NAWEC and other public corporations, the new government must set up an independent commission(s) of inquiry with the mandate to hold hearings, investigate and audit all staff rolls, finances and physical stocks of all public public corporations. This is the only way to identify the ills in system(s)/cultures of management that don’t seem to register any progress whatsoever since the days of the PPP! It will also allow for instituting changes required to move these unwieldy, cumbersome and noxious agencies into the twenty first century.
Where central government is broke, it can be concluded that public line agencies under central government are equally broke as they count on funds allocated in the budget estimates, that couldn’t be counted on by any sane and reasonably thinking person, for operating expenses. So the Government of The Gambia (GOTG) must write off all bills owed by central government department for the object of starting on a clean slate.
However, public corporations must be held to account for and pay in full bills owed to NAWEC as a matter of urgency!! NAWEC itself must undertake a thorough house cleaning exercise and cost cutting that will start with cutting benefits for it’s over bloated top management structure.
I will state here that the issue of ghost workers has perennially been a huge problem for NAWEC albeit self-inflicted by successive NAWEC, GUC and SOGEA management. The foregoing are certainly not a panacea for removing cankers in convoluted and porous system but would represent a good start plus HOPE that finally, someone is doing something to resuscitate this haggard looking Gambia of ours!!
By Andrew Pjalo
Courtesy of Sambagate.com
Excellent article; well formatted and constructive with reasonable and well thought out suggestions.
GUC/NAWEC can be fixed with the new government hotel bill ?Or a business opportunity for Senegal after the security now is the electricity in foreigners hands ,, save government
Andrew Pjalo,
Stop begging for a beggar government to do something worthwhile. This incompetent government cannot deliver to the expectations and aspirations of our people. They are just inefficient. Waiting for handouts from foreign donors to draw a government blueprint, embark on projects and try to execute, while embezzling millions at hotels, travellings and ceremonies. What good do you expect from them?
Such hubris from an irrelevant old tired ass. Get use to the new reality because we are here to stay and stay we will.Those myopic and amnesiac scumbags who think that their distraction tactics will derail our plans to build a safe and fairer societies in our nation will have a rude awakening as the train to our new Jerusalem is on full throttle.Our nation will never again be ruled by a primitive savage, a lunatic or a despot.
Natty the Nasty Dreadful Dread,
And on your ass will we continue to ride until we get your incompetent, tribalistic and inept adminitration packing. Your train is loaded with inept elements whose foresight measures your shallow brain.
The reality is the brand of effective and responsible opposition to your USELESS adminitration which you are not accustomed to living with. That reality will never derail. Live with it or just go to hell. We are here to stay.
Till I come back from my weekend retreat!
Babu Soli
Why don’t you go and fuck yourself, you motherfucking annoying old aged pensioner. Go screw yourself tired shaggy old ass.
Folks, calm down and let cooler heads prevail. Emotions are getting the better of our collective conscience.
I’m reminded of the old Kombonka from Tujereng, Afang Kemo, that’s looking to settle scores with his WUTU SUNYALAA neighbor, plucks his Khaftan off of the hook, utters a few curse words (what’s called BAA MAALU) then recites a few verses, checks that he’s got his sharpened knife in the works, applies his Jujus, the BALANDANGO plus the whole paraphernalia and then heads out the door with the intent to snuff out a life!
The Tujerengko then runs into the old Fulaman, Ba Demba Ngawreh, the deputy Imam who pleads for sanity and for cooler heads to prevail with a good dose of Islamic sermons. The Tajerengko is suddenly disarmed, falls back on his religious faith, holds his head in two hands and then praises Ba Demba. Bilahi Wolahi he said, if it were not for you Ba Demba, I’d spill some blood today! They both resort to prayers plus a good dose of Ameen, Ameen. Naffisatou, the neighbor joins the Ameens and then brings a cool cup of JII SUMAA (SUMAYA) for Afang Kemo. The potential fire is then put out on the spot and all parties go happy lucky!
So folks, calm down! You all keep blowing hot air off topic in typical small Gambian fashion but easily disarmed.
SOPE REKK, HUMBAL, KAWYEH YAA, SAATEH RING KAMBANI YAA, POLEH BU YOREWUL DARA all in furtherance of your supposedly BIG EGOS!
Folks, we do have better things to attend to. This is not a sermon but free advice. So take it or toss out the window!!
And…going forward, Michael Scales will now be addressed on this forum as BA DEMBA NGAWREH with the last name, Two Bob! E NO GO SCHOOL EN E NO LEARN BOOK! Do I sound like a rabble rouser?
You all decompress, reach for your JII SUMAA/NDOH BU SEDA and smile for the benefit of our dear Gambia!
I’m thinking Babu Soli, Sidi Bojang, Ba Demba Ngawreh, Peace, the Markazzi and Wahabi preachers and my pal Jack that tends to wallow in the mud every once in a while!
And yes folks, I can still take my TONYAA/DEGA and stuff it! I get that!
Good thing is that I’m still smiling like Dida, Dormu Rewum Gambia!
And thanks for the ……Ba Demba Ngawreh aka Mike Scales. Smiling!
Andrew; When am good am very good>> But when am bad am better /
I have never claimed to be educated. smile a while.
The answer to the question posed by Mr Pjalo as title to his well written and enlightening article is to my mind to be found by reading between the lines of the article: A big NO. These are simply too chronic and intricate in light of your revelations in the article.
Luckily, in the same article, he has also pointed to some possible way-outs, amongst which is the idea of setting up a a tailor-made commission to look into the corporation’s matter. Brilliant idea!
Fruitful remedial actions can only be taken after identifying the main issues behind its decades old problems.
Regarding public corporations non-payment of their electricity bills, it is mind-bugling that NAWEC’s in-house lawyers have not done something about that through the courts from the outset! Not least, since such corporations are under normal circumstances mere corporate customers whose rights and duties are, to a large extent, equivalent to those of ordinary human customers in the eyes of the law.
In view of the critical importance that stable and reliable power supplies plays in our efforts aimed at building a new prosperous Gambia, I am sure readers will agree with me that this matter has to be given the top priority it deserves by the powers that be. Where there is a will, there is always a way … as the saying goes.
Nawec should be privatise or open market be introduce for any private company who can supply reliable, efficient, and affordable electricity supply for the Gambian puplace and be regulated by a regulatory authority.Nawec should make it among its top priorities training technical staff on site in case of any project to have have good teams that can maintain the equipment as technology is advancing by day staff should be train the latest technology. The staff gap between senior and junior staff benefits is very huge and should be look into to cut the gap.There is lot more 5hat should be investigate,ranging from corrupt officials having camps and favours for there relatives and friends who are giving high positions which they don’t deserve leaving many with their qualification without promotions.Please investigate internally what is happening in Nawec open curroption is a practice of the day. Till I come again thanks
Chronic underinvestment in infrastructure over the last 52 years mired by corruption poor governance and lack of supervision.
The Barrow government has pledged to change this regrettable situation.
There is no problem without a solution except DEATH, and therefore, based on that premise, I will say that NAWEC can be fixed, but the problem of NAWEC must be unearthed first. Energy (and water) generation and distribution is not only a serious challenge for our country (and the continent), but it may be a threat to our very existence, in this age of electrical appliances and their influence on life and livelihood.
As a nation, we have never been able to create a National Institution that could fulfil this important role, and despite changes in name, management and ownership over the years, NAWEC (and its parent bodies) has never actually even got off the ground, never mind stand on a sound footing. The problems, not withstanding what has already been enumerated by the writer and previous contributors, are many and varied and have become far more deep rooted, over the years, that it will be impossible to solve without an independent Commission of Enquiry, tasked with looking into all aspects of NAWEC.
It may be too soon to criticise the Barrow Administration for the problems of NAWEC, except the reported drop of capacity from 80MW to 40MW (that’s 50% drop), but it has to take steps to convince the nation that it is serious about tackling the problem or at least, initiate the process. The Government cannot content itself with internal investigations to identify the problems of NAWEC, as the past governments. It must set up a commission to look into all aspects of NAWEC and recommend the best model for the country that will put NAWEC (or whatever body is created) on a sound footing, towards the realisation of reliable and affordable electricity.
I think a good, long term sustainable energy production and development policy, must also include serious investment in Solar Energy.
It is a mystery why Africa, with year round supply of solar energy from a very hot tropical sun, is not only entirely dependent on fossil fuel for its energy needs, but also lagging behind in Solar Energy Technology research and development, to tap into this abundant and seemingly, unlimited resource.
By the way, interesting (repeat) documentary on Aljazeera on the “war on terror” in Africa. Must watch for any who hasn’t.
Unfortunately, Bax, it seems our policy makers have been living in the past for far too long. Indeed, elementary principles of economics dictate that we as a nation should be good at utilizing natural resources that we have in abundance – solar energy in this case. The technology at this moment is actually pretty advanced … and this development is projected to continue in the foreseeable future-
What this entails is that The Gambia’s future energy policy should have a greater focus on this clean source of energy at the expense of others. At least, this is what logic dictates.
Anyway, before I lose my train of thought, I will add to Saikou Manneh’s idea of exploring renewable Solar energy. “The technology at this moment is actually pretty advanced … and this development is projected to continue in the foreseeable future-” he said.
Saikou, not only is the technology at the advanced stage but it is also going to get cheaper and better with time.
If only the Gambia government will seriously consider offering income tax, business tax and other tax credits to entities that invest in stand alone solar panels, solar farms and partial or complete solar roofs for the object of selling power back into the beleaguered NAWEC grid, The Gambia may well be on its way out of the chronic power deficit.
I could see Saikou M.D. Manneh investing in a solar farm to generate and sell power in Niumi Sitanunku provided that the government offers guarantees for a secure supply contract plus sustainable market prices for units of solar generated power sold back into the market.
Bax, you could add to this idea,
Indeed Andrew, SOLAR is absolutely the way to go. Not just for light, but for cooking too. I am personally looking to go all solar.
OK about this Scales fellow!
Folks, excuse me here but I couldn’t help myself so I’m taking one more, hopefully the last, jab at Ngawreh Mike Scales and I’m gonna work diligently to un-scale (wass/wess wess) this Kombo Chalo/Kobo of a Scaly fellow (Uchaafu Saana) going forward.
My apologies Jack and others, as I will stick my foot in the mud here. He doesn’t listen well. Does he? :-))
I never attempted to disparage your level of education Scaly back. What I can tell from your offerings is that you do not spell the Queen’s English well, demonstrate a questionable thought process with ample indications that you may not have seen the inner workings of a high school classroom. Feel free to use four letter choice words on this forum. It only tells to the character.
My colleague, Dr Harrison, once said to me that his grown son once looked him in the eye and said in his face that he (the son) does not need a college degree to survive in this world. Boy was he wrong! Two years ago, the young Harrison, still without a certificate to his credit, married with a wife two kids is still coming back for bailouts and doesn’t appear to be making headway!
So Mike, you don’t have to be bad as you alluded to above, just don’t take it that life at the English Bookies is worth touting on this forum at your age. That’s quite un-Gambian! Better still, members of this forum are, by and large decent and hard working fellows, not gamblers and do not care about winnings at the Bookies! My Markaaz pals will tell you that engaging any game of chance for money is HARAAM!
The winnings, that you claimed, amounting to over 3000-4000 Pounds may represent dreams in Utopia! However, I will challenge you to donate a fraction of the purported hot winnings to Jiboro Kuta Primary School, Konbo East, Western Region, The Gambia and I will match the donation Pound for Pound! Buba Sanyang will be the referee and overseer of the fund! OK.
That’s what Friends of The Gambia do for their adopted country!
Show us the beef Ngawreh! Show us the beef!
And while you are at it, spend the hot imaginary winnings on fixing the teeth!!
Keep smiling for now!!
LoL Andrew, leave Scaly alone! You say nothing we haven’t known for years – and the forum accepts its Two-Bob Alkalo Scaly for what he is.
As for the challenge, I gave the same challenge to FJC a few months back when she said “Dida is a poor man”! I challenged her to £1000 for Solo Sandeng’s family – and she never spoke again! But being the gentleman that I am (unlike Scaly!) I coughed up £500 (30,000 dalasis) for Solo Sandeng’s Family (most gladly!). If Scaly chickens out of the challenge let me know – we will see what we Africans can do for the Jiboro Kuta Primary School. Seriously.
Dida, what’s your take on Solar Farms in The Gambia? Assuming that approval and incentives may be granted.
Ni Me Saa Tumiya Kitu Kidigo Cha Sambagate Leyo.
Asante Saana.
Not much knowledge about Solar “Farms” Andrew. Solar to provide power for irrigation would be great – but in Europe they need “Solar Farms” because of the low sunshine. We have plenty of that. What did you have in mind?
Nimeona “Tumiya Kitu Kidogo”.
A solar farm in the Mansa Kombo area?
Go ahead and good luck! If you need Ataya and Mirungi I will tell you the directions to my Mansa Kombo hiding place!
No Mirungi for me Dida. I’ll leave that to the red eyed Somali truckers that ply the Wajir-Nairobi (the Kikuyu would say Nai Rofi, Diya Diya Ne Haww). Attaya is a no go area too!
I need my good night’s sleep at all times to stay sane.
BTW, good luck doesn’t sound very encouraging Dida. Hahaha!
Lolol//// You two or one as the case may be/ Me thinks Halake talks to no one but himself. It’s an old trick from The Daily Observer. Write a piece and then invent another identity for back up. You are funnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnny man really.
Anyway schizophrenia syndrome aside>>>> Your already £500,000 behind my gray bearded friend friend { better say it twice } Catch me up and I’ll see what I can do.
Let me hear you say Yeah Yeah. Ok Ok ??
LoL, Ndugu Andrew, the Scally Two-Bob Forum Alkalo is now PARANOID! He thinks my brother and I are one and the same! I suppose we are in spirit – but JollofNews can easily confirm for him that my computer is in London and yours is in USA because I have used my FBI contacts to track you down Brav! (PS: If you want to call Scales the affectionate “Scaly”, then really for accuracy it should have 2 Ls – as in “Scally” – LoL!).
Mike Scales says on MAY 14, 2017 AT 10:49 AM:
“By the power of deduction you have discovered my boyhood nickname >>Scally>>>”.
Dictionary on “SCALLY”:
“A scally is a low life loser who lacks the basic education to string together sentences of more than five words … a roguish person, typically a man, who is boisterous, disruptive, or irresponsible … Scally is roughly synonymous with Chav or Ned”.
Andrew and Dida did not need much “power of deduction”, Scally! Your “roguish” comments stick out like a sore thumb! Doctor Taal is dead (RiP). Let him be.
Mr Manneh/ The Chinese are building the very cheapest and most energy efficient/advanced solar panels in the world.. Next job after The Statehouse>>.
Maybe.
Solar panels and biomass plants are fine for small towns. To attract heavy industry you would need a whole lot more and cheap.
Senegal have a car Plant don’t they ? I’d look at Senegal first and see how they do it.
My ex patriot friend>>. The FBI also speak with forked tongue. By the power of deduction you have discovered my boyhood nickname >>Scally>>> and many happy memories of flying down the right wing at Crystal Palace/ Selhurst Park.
Warm and sunny here;
Happy Sunday my intelligent friend.
I have been to NAWEC with my late friend Dr Saja Taal. NAWEC were using sand to filter water at the Bangseng water course; But required further pumping capacity;
My Home town has an Internationally renown water filter pump generator factory.
Gilkes & Gordon
I gave them the problem and they came up with a solution; When I gave NAWEC all the details/ They replied saying they had no money to buy it
Wherever I went the same answer/ no money.
Gamtel wanted to buy all the old Red telephone boxes in the UK/ I managed to find about 200>>> same story>> no money.
There are solutions.
Same as Bakau Stadium.
I negotiated 18,000 seats from Arsenal FC when they were moving from Highbury to The Emirates stadium. Arsenal wanted £200,000 for the lot. Arsenal later agreed to drop the £200,000 price tag and were happy to donate to Gambia free of charge.
I have a government letter confirming they wanted them and would pay the shipment price of £7,000
Then Jammeh sacked The Minister and I approached The President’s office for support. Jammeh’s secretary asked me to give the same support to the New Minister for Youth and Sports/ I contacted the New Minister 3 times without reply.
In the end I had to inform Arsenal >> of the situation. They were very gracious and offered me sympathy. They understood doing business with African governments is very frustrating. This fantom transaction delayed the move from Highbury to The Emirates stadium by Three weeks. All I could do was apologize.
I had arranged for the old Minister to attend a Game at Arsenal who gave him VIP treatment and he watched the Game from The Arsenal Directors box with The Chairman and the Board of Directors.
Sorry about that; Cost me a small fortune.
“Scally tales” … “Roguish” stuff all.
He got it!! Andrew IS Dida’s alter ego. Or is it the other way around?
We can’t let too much out of the bag for now? Can we? Hehehe!!
In the seafaring communities of Scotland, there’s what’s called Fishermen’s Tales too!!
Lets have some Dida Halake tales from His former “love” and The Daily Observer.
Come on my well travelled and versed psychedelic friend>>> spill da beanz.