NAWEC blames heavy rainfall for outages as Gambia faces power crisis

The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC)has issued a public notice regarding significant power outages affecting various regions due to technical faults caused by heavy rainfall in Gambia.

The company reported that the 33kV line from Jabang to Kotu and the Kotu-Bijilo links have incurred damages, leaving many Gambians in the dark.

In a statement, NAWEC expressed regret over the situation, stating, “We have experienced technical faults on the 33kV line from Jabang to Kotu and the Kotu-Bijilo links. Unfortunately, our technicians were unable to address the issue during the night due to the weather conditions.”

The company has mobilized two teams to rectify the problems as swiftly as possible while implementing load shedding across several feeders, including Manjai, Tranquil, Bijilo, Jabang, Feeder4, Kanifing, and Ahmadiyya.

NAWEC added, “We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your understanding.”

The response from the public has been vocal, with many expressing frustration over the recurring outages and the company’s handling of the situation.

Ousman Gaye commented, “NAWEC still heading backward to disaster. The same faults and excuses are reported all these years and yet there seem to be no way in resolving them. Sometimes wonder what are the people working there doing. Such lack of productivity can’t be continuously tolerated by people.”

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Wendy Secka pointed out, “Great that you seem to be a bit more proactive with letting people understand why they, yet again, have no power, but your list of locations is woefully short.”

She noted that despite not being mentioned in the notice, her area in Brufut was also experiencing outages, questioning the company’s understanding of its infrastructure.

Adama Joof expressed disdain, saying, “Thank you NAWEC for constantly giving us Press Releases and Public Notices instead of Water and Electricity. SHAMELESS.”

Bubacarr Sidigi Jammeh echoed similar sentiments, stating, “All these years, we know the rains and winds are going to be here, but still can’t find the right solutions to prevent damages to our lines. It’s called constant process improvement and anticipation.”

Ebrima A Ceesay added, “NAWEC! NAWEC! this is too much. Tell Gambians the reality. Your feeders/transformers are very old. Some have been in operation since the 90s. Your unending press release and the ON/OFF is so frustrating and annoying.”

In contrast, Joseph Jubril Robinson praised the company for its communication efforts, stating, “NAWEC is the only constant and consistent institution giving us updates upon updates regularly. I love it.”

However, others remain skeptical of NAWEC’s promises. Tracy Dale remarked, “In other words, no one will have power due to ‘load shedding’ while they ‘repair’ the problem? Right. Sure. We believe you.”

As frustrations mount, Bubacarr Bailo Jallow concluded, “You can continue doing what you are doing. Since most of us have no other choice, our voices will be clearly heard in 2026, Ins Shaa.”

The ongoing power crisis highlights the urgent need for infrastructure improvements and effective solutions to mitigate the impact of natural events on the country’s essential services.