Gambia ready to forgo millions given by the EU, National Assembly members claimed

The APRC and nominated members of the National Assembly have unanimously claimed that The Gambia is ready and willing to forgo the millions of Euro donated to the government by the European Union than to implement the 17-point reforms the EU demanded the government implement.

One after the other, the parliamentarians on Monday, during an extraordinary session of the National Assembly, strongly condemned the EU. 

For them, the EU already knew that the government “will not accept” to implement the 17-point demand, so in that case they can cut aids to the government, but the government is ready to weather the storm.

The extraordinary session was convened for the parliamentarians to discuss the demands of the EU to The Gambia government.

In a 17-point demand presented to The Gambia government, which are strongly condemned and rejected by President Jammeh forthrightly, the EU demanded the Gambia government to undertake some reforms in order to improve the country’s governance and human rights situations.

Among the reforms they are demanding from the government are the upholding of moratorium on the death penalty with immediate effect, revision of laws on freedom of expression and media regulations within 24 months, provision of information regarding the recent executions, including location of burial to the families. 

“Gambia is willing to forgo any kind of aids than to implement these kinds of demands,” said Fabakary Tombong Jatta, member for Serrekunda East and majority leader.  

He said the government will be glad to get the EU funds with respect and dignity, but not under servitude, or slave-master relationship, though he acknowledged that the EU contributes to the socio-economic development of the country.

These kinds of things are done with a pre-conceived mind, Hon. Tombong Jatta says, adding that the EU did this so that if the government refuses, they can take the next action.

Gambians pay high price for electricity

Gambians pay one of highest price for electricity in the world, thus limiting again the access to energy for the population, European Union programme manager, Sylvain Lequere, says.

Speaking at the launching the renewable energy project at a local hotel in The Gambia on 14^th March, Mr Lequere reiterated that the rate at which people in Gambians continue to pay for electricity is among the highest in the world.

Mr Lequere said the country’s energy system is currently dealing with major constraints such as ageing power plants, inefficient transmission and distribution system.

Another major constraint, he noted, is the country’s high dependence on fuel coupled with “the legal frameworks that are unfavourable to private investments”.

The consequences of these constraints have gravely resulted into low access to electricity for majority of Gambians. Only 35% of the country’s 1.8 million people have access to power, of which only 6% is for the upcountry.

“This is also limiting the development of the private sector in the country,” Mr Lequere noted.

Speaking earlier, the Minister of Petroleum, Teneng Mba Jaiteh, who officially launched the energy project, said the energy situation in the country is characterised by high dependence on biomass fuels, limited access to modern energy services and unsustainable dependence on imported fossil fuel.

“Almost all of The Gambia’s modern energy service requirements are met from imported fossil-based energy sources, which is not only affecting the country’s foreign exchange reserves, thus making the country vulnerable to fluctuations in world oil prices, but it also results in the emission of greenhouse gases,” she said.