The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) as part of Phase Two of the Rural Electrification Project has commenced a massive connection of the US$6 million (dollar) electricity project in the coastal town of Gunjur. A multi-million dollar water supply project for the biggest town in Kombo South is also expected to start by the middle of September 2013. This was disclosed Thursday by officials of the company during a visit to the project site to assess the extent of the projects and their impact on the lives of the people. It is also the first time in the history of Gunjur that they are being connected with NAWEC. The day trip gave the NAWEC officials firsthand information on the level of preparedness of the project. Speaking to this reporter, the manager, Transmission and Distribution at NAWEC, Edrisa Jarjue, explained that the project is running from Gunjur, Kartong to Kalagi in Foni, all in the West Coast Region. He said that the project is something they have been looking forward to, adding that the government secured funding amounting to US$6 million through multilateral donor agencies, which was insufficient, but NAWEC came in to cover for the shortfalls. "The scope is growing and the funding is also expanding [and] at the end of the day we will establish how much it cost to come this far. In terms of megawatts, the electricity will produce 2-3 megawatts and the capacity will grow because many people are applying and as time goes on, NAWEC will add another capacity with the demand in Kombo South," Jarju added. The director of Water and Sewage at NAWEC, Alagie Dibba, said that the water project was funded by the government of The Gambia and the Islamic Development Bank at a total cost of US$5.17 million.

He said the project is a modern treatment plant, adding that by the middle of September 2013, the people of Gunjur will start enjoying water supply. He also disclosed that the water plant will pump out 100 liters per second, which will be able to serve the entire town, while the network can be expanded in future. Dibba stressed that the demand for water and electricity supply is very high, so it will not be easy to provide the two for everyone at the same time. He however assured that NAWEC and the government of The Gambia are doing everything possible to provide clean drinking water for Gambians.

Mustapha Touray, Chief of Kombo South, averred that water and electricity are principal components in one's life and one cannot have a meaningful life without clean and potable water. "The two projects will transform the lives of the people of Gunjur and for the first time in the history of the town, we are beginning to have clean pipe-borne water which is going to improve as far as our health is concerned." He added: "For the past years the people of Gunjur have been depending on hand-dug wells to get water supply, up to a time when an intervention was made and hand pumps were erected at certain locations that alleviated little in terms of provision of clean water. "The project is a revolution as far as the people of Gunjur are concerned; it is also remarkable in the sense that Gunjur will be experiencing two parallel developments at the same time; that is water and electricity running side by side. Some people have started enjoying the electricity supply; it is a stride towards attaining healthy and meaningful life system which the people have been looking for over the years."

The alkalo of Gunjur, Alhaji Sulayman Touray, commended NAWEC and the government of The Gambia for providing them with electricity and water. Sally Bojang, a fishmonger, also expressed similar sentiment.