President Adama Barrow has inaugurated the construction of the 30Kv line through Laminkoto-Diabugu-Batapa to expand electricity access to 46 communities in the districts of Sami and Sandu.
Speaking on the occasion held on Saturday 6 May, President Barrow said the project is an eight-million US Dollar (US$8 million) medium voltage 30KV line network initiative that is fully loaded with distribution facilities.
"The package includes electricity connection meters provided at a cost of one thousand Dalasi (D1,000.00) for two thousand, five hundred and twenty (2,520) beneficiaries. Among them will be household, institutional, and commercial end-users or customers. It is safe to state confidently that this is a major project that has come to transform the beneficiary communities and will significantly improve the lives and livelihoods of the people who live in those communities," the President said.
He said further that besides providing regular electricity supply for them, the facilities will create various opportunities for the people; giving example that it would enable residents of the settlements to process and add value to their agricultural produce, facilitate access to quality social services, and enhance better living conditions.
He explained further that as his government continues to strive to provide universal access to electricity by 2025, "this project is a component of The Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project that will undoubtedly contribute remarkably" towards the achievement of country's national universal electrification programme.
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"While other electricity access projects are being implemented speedily to close the universal electricity access gap, we remain strongly committed to achieving the noble 2025 target of electricity access for all," he said.
Barrow said the provision of adequate, reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy service is a requirement for the development of any modern economy.
He added that as a result, for his government to transform and modernise every part of The Gambia, especially the rural communities, access to adequate and regular energy supply is a must.
Accordingly, he added, to fulfil the development aspirations of the country, his government will accelerate the implementation of the various electricity projects in progress across the country.
"As an aspect of our key infrastructural development programme, this energy project is to serve as an enabler for various activities. These include production ventures that lead to income generation and improvement of the people's social and economic wellbeing," he noted, saying: "Alongside infrastructural development endeavours, unity, understanding, and love for the country are also essential and strong values and enablers of rapid development. They foster cooperation, tolerance, and joint undertakings for the common good."
