Gambian President Adama Barrow has urged citizens to remain calm in the face of prolonged power outages, saying the country is not the only one facing an electricity crisis that has affected several parts of West Africa.
His comments follow protests on Monday night in and around the capital, Banjul, over blackouts that residents say have sometimes lasted up to 48 hours.
“When you go to bed in the heat and the dark, believe that you are not alone in that darkness,” Barrow said, promising to increase the power supply next month.
The Gambia supplements its own generation with imported electricity, including supplies from Guinea and neighboring Senegal.
The small West African country has suffered persistent blackouts since June, and blackouts have become longer and more frequent during the current hot season, as high temperatures increase demand for electricity.
Frustration boiled over on Monday night, as protesters took to the streets in and around Banjul, burning tires and blocking roads over prolonged power outages.
Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd in the Westfield area as they headed towards the headquarters of the national electricity company, Nawec, amid some chanting. “Barrow must go.”
Protesters also gathered outside the vice president’s residence in Farato, where banners were damaged at an office of the ruling Barrow National People’s Party.
The unrest comes just months before presidential elections scheduled for December, in which Barrow is seeking a controversial third term.
In a televised speech Tuesday night, Barrow acknowledged the difficulties caused by the blackouts but warned protesters not to damage public infrastructure, saying it would only worsen the disruption and divert money toward repairs.
“Let us not destroy in a moment of anger what we have suffered for so long to achieve,” he said.
The president admitted that there had been deficiencies in the government’s planning, power generation and maintenance systems, and called the resulting outages “a national security issue” and an “emergency.”
“I know the fans have stopped working, children work in the dark, mothers throw away stale food, and the heat is unbearable day and night,” the president said, promising that supplies will improve by the end of October.
He said a new 24 megawatt generating unit was being installed at the Brikama power station and would become operational by the end of next month.
A contract for a 50 MW solar power plant in Soma has also been awarded, although no completion date has been given.
“For a system our size, this is considerable power, enough to make a big difference in your homes,” Barrow added.
The president visited the facilities of the national energy company on Tuesday morning and promised that The Gambia would receive new generators this week.
Gallo Saidy, head of Nawec, also called for patience, saying reduced electricity imports from the regional grid had contributed to the shortage.
He said lower rainfall this year had reduced the electricity available through the regional grid.
“We are aware of the frustration and limitations that the Gambian people have,” he said. “We are just asking the Gambian people to give us a little time and patience.”
Nawec had warned in August that unusually high temperatures had caused an increase in demand for electricity, while a technical problem had also affected a major generating unit that supplies imported power.
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