The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice joins Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) in full solidarity and support for the peaceful national protest scheduled for 19 June 2026 in front of the NAWEC Headquarters at Westfield.
This protest is a legitimate and necessary civic action to demand the delivery of reliable, affordable, and quality utility services for all Gambians. The persistent power cuts, poor utility supply, and chronic service failures experienced across the country are unjustifiable and unacceptable. Citizens have every right to demand accountability from public institutions that exist to serve them.
For decades, Gambians have endured inadequate public services while successive public institutions continue to offer endless excuses, shifting narratives, and promises that fail to translate into meaningful improvements. The recurring electricity crisis is not merely a technical problem. It is fundamentally a governance problem rooted in poor planning, inefficiency, weak accountability, mismanagement, and the failure of leadership to deliver sustainable solutions despite substantial public resources and international support.
EFSCRJ therefore calls on all Gambians to heed the call by GALA and participate peacefully in this national protest. Good governance and sustainable development cannot flourish in the absence of active and vigilant citizens. The future of the Gambia depends on a conscious, informed, and patriotic citizenry willing to defend its rights and demand transparency, accountability, and quality public services.
The greatest tragedy of our national development since independence has been the persistent failure of public institutions to provide accessible, affordable, efficient, and high-quality public goods and services. These institutions are established by law, funded by taxpayers, supported by development partners, equipped with resources, and staffed by officials who enjoy salaries, benefits, and legal protections. Yet too often they fail to meet the standards of performance, professionalism, and accountability expected of them.
The time has come for citizens to peacefully and lawfully confront public institutions with a clear demand: deliver services efficiently, transparently, and in accordance with the law. Public institutions must understand that accountability is not discretionary and that public office is a responsibility, not a privilege, hence they must perform and deliver, consistently.
We therefore urge all citizens, regardless of political affiliation, profession, age, gender, or social status, to join fellow Gambians on 19 June 2026 in front of the NAWEC Headquarters. Your presence will be a powerful testimony that the current state of utility services is inadequate and unsatisfactory. It will send a clear and unambiguous message that enough is enough and that citizens will no longer remain silent in the face of poor service delivery.
Together, let us peacefully demand a Gambia where public institutions uphold the law, respect professional standards, and deliver the quality services that citizens deserve.
“No Taxation Without Representation.
No Representation without Adherence to the Rule of Law and Efficient Service Delivery.” EF Small Legacy
2026: The Year of Empowerment – Empowered Citizens. Accountable Leadership.
