By: Nyima Sillah
Nani Juwara, Managing Director of National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) confirmed that the National Water and Electricity Company has engaged National Security Service for the protection of its facilities after recent cutting of power plant cables in the remote areas.
The engagement of the security service came in after NAWEC discovered incident during their side visit that was conducted last week.
“The act is a criminal act and is really affecting our operations in terms of water supply to our customers. The attack of such nature on our boreholes will even compound our problem and what we are doing right now is to work with the security services to be able to protect these facilities,” he said.
These boreholes are located in very remote locations mainly within the forest, he noted, adding that they had number of boreholes that were within built up areas and were hard to be decommission.
But for the fact that they were polluted that has reduced the amount of water that could supply to their consumers, they have to move the production facilities right into the forest. These forested areas are really isolated and providing physical security would be a challenge “because you will be endangering those security personnel on the ground if they are not armed, but considering the situation right now, we have engaged the National security service and as we speak, we have taken steps to be able to protect these facilities for the best interest of every Gambian,” he added.
He explained further that in terms of water supply it is affecting the entire greater Banjul area for the fact that the boreholes are operating within the ring. So what is been pop from the Brikama end is also pop right the way part of Serrekunda and other areas.
He, therefore, advised everyone to be vigilant, have a collective responsibility in protecting National assets, adding “we don’t have enough at the moment to meet the demand so if the limited resources that we have are been vandalized.”
“I think is everybody’s business and the issue of this bad elements going around vandalizing our facilities should be everyone’s business. We are appealing to the public to support NAWEC in protecting these facilities. Those facilities belong to NAWEC but the infrastructure is for the Gambian People,” he appealed.
