Minister for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, has attributed The Gambia’s ongoing electricity and water supply challenges to decades of underinvestment in critical infrastructure, as public frustration mounts over recent service disruptions.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Dr. Ceesay said the current administration inherited a weak and outdated system that had suffered from insufficient investment for several decades.
“If we are to decide, nobody will go without electricity and water in this country, but remember we inherit a bad system. We have not done any significant investment in electricity and water in this country for the past 30, 40, or 50 years. We have added over 50 megawatts to the grid since 2017 to date,” he added.
The minister noted that since taking office in 2017, the government has added more than 50 megawatts to the national grid as part of efforts to strengthen electricity generation and expand access across the country.
Dr. Ceesay rejected claims that the recent outages amount to a failure of the government’s energy policy, arguing that electricity supply had remained relatively stable over the past two years.
“For the last two years, electricity has been fairly stable. Now there is a challenge for two weeks, and we are calling it a failure?” he asked.
He said the government had significantly expanded electricity access nationwide, including to communities that previously had little or no access to power.
“Some communities never expected to have electricity. When it arrives, they celebrate because it is something they have waited for over many years,” he said.
Drawing comparisons with other African countries, Dr. Ceesay argued that electricity shortages are a challenge across the continent, with some countries experiencing even more severe supply constraints.
“In some countries, electricity is available only every three or four days, while others have areas with no access at all,” he said.
The minister stressed that the government has no interest in prolonged electricity and water disruptions, noting that such situations create hardship for citizens and are not politically beneficial.
He appealed for patience from the public, assuring Gambians that efforts are underway to address the current challenges and restore reliable services.
“We are a government that listens to the concerns of the people,” Dr. Ceesay said. “We understand the frustrations, and we are working to ensure that these challenges are resolved as quickly as possible.”
