By Binta Jaiteh
The National Assembly Member for BundunkaKunda Constituency, Hon. Sulayman Jammehhas urged the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) to address acute water shortage within his area.
The lawmaker made the urge during an interview with the Voice newspaper on Wednesday. “The issue of water is still a challenge and my people are suffering as far as water is concerned,” he lamented.
He disclosed that through his constituency development fund for 2023, he was able to pay for standpipes in at least 26 communities.
Hon. Jammeh queried that since the payment of the standpipes NAWEC was unable to connect the water pipes according to them it was due to a lack of equipment needed.
He says NAWEC is a state institution tasked to provide water and electricity services for the citizens because the people are paying for the services without any compromise so the company should fully live up to expectations.
The Bundung lawmaker expressed dissatisfaction over the way and manner NAWEC treated the matter, wondering why the officers waited till the needed equipment ran out of stock which caused a lot of delays. ‘’This is not the first time that such is happening and we don’t expect that from NAWEC,’’ he noted.
He says he does not think one can develop when getting basic things one faces a great deal of delay. He added that such an attitude of NAWEC would not help in portraying the good name of the government.
He explains that everyone knows how the people of Bundung suffered due to water shortage that hit the area over the years and yet still no mechanism is worked out to address the situation.
‘’I am a representative of the people, speaking for the voiceless and making sure their needs are provided to the fullest,’’ he remarked.
“As a lawmaker, it is not ideal to sit and watch your people suffer while you are enjoying with your family. I vowed to stand up for my people in difficult situations. More so access to water is a basic human right and it should not be compromised, thus everyone needs water for daily purposes,” he added.
However, Hon. Jammeh assured his people that he would only rest when the acute water shortage became history.
