By Assan Bah
The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) has uncovered more than two dozen alleged illegal electricity connections at the garden of former President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh in Batokunku, a coastal village in the West Coast Region. The revelation, described by officials as part of a widespread and long-running problem, has triggered internal investigations and stern warnings to both the public and NAWEC’s own staff.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday, senior executives of the utility company described the discovery as part of a broader and alarming pattern of unauthorized connections that have, for years, undermined NAWEC’s operations nationwide.
“If NAWEC fails, we all fail,” said Managing Director Gallow Saidy during a press briefing at the site. “Some of these activities are not unique to this area. It’s across the country, and it needs to stop.”
Mr. Saidy, visibly frustrated by the scale of the issue, issued a blunt warning: individuals found culpable—whether members of the public or NAWEC staff—will face the full force of the law. According to him, illegal connections not only deprive the utility of revenue but also threaten the stability and safety of the national power grid.
The managing director emphasized that NAWEC has clear policies governing access to its services, and that anyone seeking electricity or water connections must go through official channels.
“If it is a NAWEC staff, we’ll deal with you—even take you to court. If it is from the public, we will equally do the same,” Saidy stated. “We will remove those meters, and we will not reconnect you, because what you have done is wrong.”
Mr. Saidy also attributed frequent low voltage and outages in some areas to such illegal connections, citing a system where one person connects illegally and others tap from that source, compounding technical losses.
“People may say, ‘Oh this is within NAWEC staff.’ Fine, but we are going to go after them,” he added. “It’s not business as usual.”
He accused certain individuals of using religious or moral pretense to shield dishonest behavior. “We go to the mosque and say we are praying, and then go and do things like this,” he said. “We will not leave any stone unturned.”
NAWEC officials said they are reviewing whether fines and surcharges are sufficient penalties. According to Mr. Saidy, the company may consider longer disconnections as a deterrent. “Maybe we don’t give you electricity for another six months,” he suggested. “We are going to do this across the country.”
He revealed that the company is also investing in investigative resources, including the use of external parties to trace illegal connections and identify those responsible.
“If we catch somebody here, we will internally get rid of them and then take them to the police,” Mr. Saidy declared. “NAWEC is not going to withdraw any case going forward.”
Babucarr Awe, NAWEC’s Senior Transmission and Distribution Manager, warned that the illegal practices are not only financially damaging but pose serious safety risks.
“These connections cause a series of instabilities, resulting in outages and low voltage,” Mr. Awe said. “Some of these setups are not standard and can lead to electrocutions, which are fatal.”
According to Mr. Awe, unauthorized installations can also cause surges and infrastructure failures. “Electricity is very dangerous,” he emphasized. “Some of these connections are done in ways that endanger both the user and people nearby.”
NAWEC’s Senior Customer Service Manager, Hassan Bah, explained that part of the challenge in tracing illegal meters lies in how they were originally registered. Many meters now operating in Batokunku, he said, were purchased under different community names—such as Tanje, Gunjur, Bakoteh, and even Serekunda—making them difficult to trace through standard records.
“They were moved from the place they were bought for,” Mr. Bah said. “This is the reason why we could not easily trace these meters.”
Momodou Dampha, the company’s Senior HR and Administration Manager, acknowledged the possibility of internal collusion, suggesting some employees might be complicit in the illegal activities.
“As a company with a moral responsibility, we are aware of the management component,” he said. “We will ensure that any employee involved in this illegal activity faces the full force of the law and of internal regulations.”
Tijan Williams, Group Director of Internal Audit, said investigators have so far discovered over 25 illegal meters at the Batokunku garden, with more than half already removed.
“It’s more than 25 that we have found here. We listed them,” he said. “We’ve removed more than half.”
He added that NAWEC has collected testimonies from individuals, including farmers who admitted to paying as much as D21,500 to acquire meters under questionable circumstances.
“So whom did they pay to?” Mr. Williams asked. “He will name the staff or name an agent, and then we book down all those things.”
All information gathered is being compiled into a final report for senior management and the NAWEC board to guide further disciplinary or legal action.
Mr. Saidy ended the press briefing with an appeal to the public: “If you see these things happening in your area, report them. We are not perfect. We need your help.”
He reminded customers that NAWEC’s mission is to provide safe, reliable, and equitable access to energy—but that goal cannot be achieved if the system is manipulated.
“Everybody is entitled to electricity, but not through the back way,” he said. “There will be no massage, no maslaha. We’ll deal with it.”
