In a bid to enhance the penetration of energy efficient light bulbs in the country, the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and The Gambia Standards Bureau (TGSB) with support from ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) on Friday inaugurated the country's first-ever Lighting Testing Laboratory at a ceremony held at the National Quality Centre in Abuko.
The project, which falls under component four of the sub-regional project, is jointly funded by the government of The Gambia, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF).
The project is being implemented in five components with the objective of demonstrating the use of energy efficient lighting and appliances as well as promoting the use of efficient cooking stoves in the country.
At the inaugural ceremony, Papa Secka, Director General of The Gambia Standards Bureau (TGSB), described the landmark development as a result of the fulfilment of the one of the most important mandates of the bureau, which is the provision of high-quality conformity assessment services, which comprises inspection, certification of goods and services and testing.
"It is one of the pillars of the national quality infrastructure in addition to the standards, metrology and accreditation," he said. "In order to address the testing challenges of the country, the Bureau with the support of our line Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration and Employment began work to put in place a National Quality Centre few years ago."
The bureau, he added, had already established a National Meteorology Laboratory at the time of its establishment. "Today, we are witnessing the second key laboratory at the centre."
DG Secka also spoke about their other ongoing projects, which he said, include, the National Reference and Food Testing and National Petroleum Testing Laboratories.
"Eventually, the laboratories for Testing of Construction and Building materials, Electrical and Electronics Products, Solar Energy Products shall be established at this National Quality Centre."
To coordinate all of these while incorporating specific testing requirements of stakeholders and to prevent any duplication, he hinted, a National Laboratory Policy is under development spearheaded by the Ministry of Trade.
He thanked all partners and institutions who supported the actualisation of this landmark project.
Matta Lily French, ECOWAS resident representative, thanked the government and people of The Gambia for their collaboration and successful leadership during the implementation of the mega project.
She reminded that the government of The Gambia requested UNIDO's support in the Operationalisation of the Sustainable Energy For all Action Agenda; Promoting inclusive, environmentally-sound and low-carbon development."
The ECOWAS rep revealed that the project was funded by the Global Environmental Facility, saying its objective is to demonstrate the use of energy efficient lighting and appliances.
"In view of its expensive experiences in serving ECOWAS member-states, ECREEE was selected to support the implementation of the project including the procurement and installation of an energy-efficient lighting testing laboratory for The Gambia Standards Bureau."
Deputising for the Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Amie Njie, Permanent Secretary at the said Ministry, described the inauguration of the facility as "laudable and timely" in view of the fact that it came at a time when all kinds of electrical appliances, the majority of which includes lighting projects, are being imported into the country without undergoing any testing, thus leaving consumers exposed to buying sub-standard products.
"In accordance with the National Energy Efficiency Strategy and in a bid to ensure standard electrical appliances are imported into the country to protect the consumers, the Ministry in collaboration with GEF, UNIDO, The Gambia Standards Bureau, ECREEE included in the design of UNIDO-GEF six, a component on the establishment of Lighting Testing Laboratory, as a start with plans to expand the laboratory to include testing for other major electrical appliances.'
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PS Njie revealed that besides the various energy initiatives implemented in the country, the project has successful established the State-of-the Art energy efficiency laboratory, equipped with an integrating player and protecting basic parameters of light projects.
These achievements, she added, have placed The Gambia among the first countries in the sub-region to have such machines in one Lighting Testing Laboratory.
The move, she went on, is a giant move by the government to ensure that the country doesn't continue to be a dumping ground for sub-standard electrical appliances.
With the successful establishment of this infrastructure, she said, it is critical to develop the requisite policy and regulatory framework that will enable the realisation of the full benefit of this magnificent project.
To that end, PS Njie outlined the need for all stakeholders to work on a robust regulatory framework to ensure effective and efficient regulation of electrical appliances in the country.
