Lack of fuel causes acute electricity blackout, water shortage

By Sailu Bah The constant and widespread electricity blackout and water shortage which is affecting the urban area in the Gambia for more than a month now is caused by the lack of fuel, according to a press release from the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) read out on GRTS television last evening.Households, businesses, offices, workshops have been suffering from the lack of electricity and water for longer periods during both day and night times. The electricity sometimes goes off for more than 18 hours and comes only briefly for less than four hours and switches off again. The service provider (NAWEC) has now offered an explanation as to the cause of the electricity and water shortage. According to the press release, the electricity as well as water supply is not constant due to inadequate fuel as well as the delay in the arrival of the vessel bringing fuel in to the Gambia. It added that the vessel bringing the fuel is expected to come sometime this week. “In order to normalize the situation of the water supply, the management of NAWEC has entered a mutual agreement with the Gambia National Petroleum Corporation to supply heavy fuel oil,” states the release.]]>