|
Momodou
Denmark
11804 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Mar 2010 : 20:51:57
|
Dailynews Editorial: Until Power Cuts Are Completely A Thing Of The Past, Rural Electricity.....
The multi million projects in the coastal Brufut settlement is a right thing for our National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) to have under taken. As such a big under taken will go a long way to improve the lives of the thousands of people in that area. It will also boast the development of industry around the area. Visa Vi tourist industry. It is an indisputable fact that without a good flow of electricity there cannot be any meaningful development.
One may be tempted to ask if such an action is not given a presidential preference? In the 8pm news bulletin over the national television Wednesday 24th March 2010, it was stated that the project is taking off as a fulfillment of the president’s promise to the community of Brufut. Why Brufut? There are already existing settlements that do not have the required electricity supply. Is the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) not over stretching its resources?
There is the rural electricity project in the pipeline. Many major villages up country are yet to benefit from that project. Sometimes one is tempted to see that the whole issue of electricity and water is political. How many times are we told of the rural electricity project? It only comes visible when the election year is close. Yes, 2011 is another election year. Steps will be taken to try and fulfill most promises in a bid to win support.
However there is nothing wrong in trying to fulfill such promises, but NAWEC should take a close look at the existing power supply within the grater Banjul area. In these recent times there is a lot of load shedding because one of the biggest machines at the Kotu power station is being serviced. The remaining machines cannot cope with normal demand for power. So is NAWEC not really over stretching its resources, when such a multimillion dalasi project is being launched?
What of areas like the Brikama settlements? Electricity supplies to residents in most areas in Brikama do complain of low power supply. Misira settlement is fine with their own transmitter the supply in that area is fine. Many settlements that boarder with Misira do take their supply from that area, but on the average electricity is not adequately being supplied to the Brikama community, albeit being the regional capital.
Going beyond Brikama, there is a lot more to be done in our drive to meet the goal of rural electrification. Sometimes one will only have to feel that, the whole thing is like a joke. A village like Perai in the Upper River Region (UPR) will not and cannot in the next five years think of having electricity supply. Yes one may say that is a small village but what about Kulari village? This is one of the biggest villages in the URR. So we want to believe that NAWEC is only being remote controlled, rather than the company working independently and professionally.
What NAWEC should do at this point in time is to make sure that the rural electrification drive is met without any interference. There should be clear cut plans to make sure that such a drive is met.
In the past power supply was regular but it seems that we are going back to the old days where certain parts go for hours with out supply. Many parts of Sere-Kunda and I am sure it is the same with those in Bakau, Banjul, and other parts are experiencing the same power cuts. Until such power cuts are completely a thing of the past it will mean very little for such multimillion projects to be launched. There should be room for expansion but equally the existing facilities should be consolidated.
Source: Dailynews
|
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
|
Topic Locked
