By Nelson Manneh
The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), has validated the Electricity Quality of Services Regulations document yesterday Wednesday 11th June 2025, at a validation workshop in a local hotel within the Senegambia area. The document according to PURA, will serve as a benchmark in enhancing the quality of electricity services provided to consumers in the country, and underscores the Authority’s commitment in creating a sound regulatory environment that allows for improvement in electricity service delivery, as well as in enhancing customer satisfaction.
Established by The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority Act, 2001, PURA is an independent agency that is mandated to regulate certain “public services” defined in Section 2 (1) of the Act such as the following: a communication service; a transport service; an energy or water service provided directly or indirectly to the public or any section of the public. The Authority plays a pivotal role among policy makers including the Office of the President; the Ministry of Information and Communication Infrastructure (MOICI) and the Ministry of Energy on one hand, and licensed service providers and consumers on the other. The President appoints members of the Board of PURA including the Director. To facilitate it’s regulation of public utilities, Section 13 (1) of The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority Act, 2001 among others, mandates PURA to provide guidelines on, and examine the rates and fees for the provision of regulated public services; protect the interest of consumers and public utilities; monitor and enforce standards of performance by public utilities, and promote fair competition among them.
Delivering his address to participants at the gathering, Dr. Njogou L. Bah, Director of PURA, said the Electricity Quality of Services Regulations document is meant to provide quality electricity services to consumers.
“At PURA, we believe in value for money. Therefore, there should be a document to regulate all services that are provided. We also want to make sure that all Gambians in respect of where you are, have access to affordable electricity,” Dr. Bah said. He said the document should be treated as a refractory framework that plays a fair role between service providers and consumers. “PURA remains strong in making sure that regulation frameworks are enforced to improve services that are provided,” he said.
Dr. Bah continued that PURA welcomes and encourages consumers to always formally file in their complaints. He howver said that formal complaints should be differentiated from formal reporting of service providers to PURA.
On his part, the Deputy Director of Energy and Water at The Gambia PURA, said the primary aim of the Electricity Quality of Services (QoS) document is to ensure reliable and high-quality electricity supply to consumers. This according to him, includes a reduction in the interruption of services; maintaining stable voltage levels, and ensuring efficient service delivery by distribution licensees.
“The regulation also aims to protect the rights of consumers and to outline the obligations of electricity service providers,” he said; that the purpose of the Electricity Service Quality Standards Rule is to set the indicators of electricity service quality to customers, regarding the services provided and the continuity of supply and voltage quality.
