Gambia: Energy Minister Defends Power Record Despite Persistent Outages

The Gambia’s Minister for Petroleum, Energy and Mines Nani Juwara has defended the government’s record on electricity access, saying it has made significant gains in expanding access despite power cuts in parts of the country.

Juwara urged Gambians frustrated by persistent outages to remain patient, saying plans were in place to resolve the problem, KERR FATOU reported.

Addressing a rally of the governing National People’s Party in New Jeshwang over the weekend, Juwara acknowledged growing public concern over electricity shortages, including nighttime outages in some communities.

He said, however, that the current difficulties should be weighed against what he described as substantial improvements in the energy sector since President Adama Barrow took office.

Juwara credited the administration with expanding household access to electricity and said rising consumption was partly a consequence of the country’s development.

“President Barrow made it possible for several meters to be installed in one compound, whereas previously only one meter was found per compound,” Juwara said. “Air conditioning is now common in homes and offices, compared to the past when only fans were available.”

The minister said about 90% of communities in The Gambia now have access to electricity, up from 43% before Barrow took office.

Juwara said the administration was working towards Barrow’s pledge to extend electricity access to every community in the country by the end of 2026.

But expanding access has also placed greater pressure on the country’s power supply, Juwara said. As more homes and businesses connect to the grid and use appliances such as air conditioners, demand has increased, creating additional challenges for the country’s electricity infrastructure.

He urged Gambians to remain patient, saying equipment failures and other technical problems were inevitable but that the government was working to address the disruptions.

“The ministry is doing everything possible to end the electricity crisis,” Juwara said, adding that officials were pressing NAWEC, the national water and electricity utility, to find a lasting solution to the power difficulties.

Juwara also pointed to New Jeshwang as an example of what he described as the administration’s broader development record.

He said the community had changed considerably from a period when roads were poor, electricity supplies were unreliable and students struggled to study under difficult conditions.

He attributed those improvements to Barrow’s government, saying the president’s tenure had brought significant changes to the area.

Juwara’s remarks came as the governing party seeks to make its development record a central part of its case for another term in office. With the December presidential election approaching, he urged voters to support Barrow again, portraying another mandate as recognition of what the president has delivered since taking office.