By Awa S Jallow
The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) has sounded a dire alarm over a recent spate of vandalism incidents that have severely disrupted its operations and jeopardized its staff.
Key installations, including the vital Jamburr solar plant, have been targeted, leading to significant power outages and substantial financial setbacks for the national utility provider.
In a recent presser on Thursday, NAWEC officials highlighted the severe security threat posed by the rampant cutting and theft of cables, particularly at the Jamburr solar plant.
The company underscored the critical need for collective responsibility in preventing these destructive acts that undermine the nation’s power infrastructure.The damaging incident occurred on June 3rd, 2025, at the Jamburr solar plant.
In a blatant act of deliberate tampering, the cables of 36 solar panel sets were cut and disconnected. This malicious act resulted in a significant disruption to the plant’s operational capacity and output, leading to severe consequences for NAWEC’s overall operations and the country’s power supply.
Sanna Touray NAWEC director of cooperate services in his statement said “the incident has had a devastating consequences on the company’s ability to provide a stable power supply to Gambian households and businesses”.
The financial repercussions of these acts he said, are equally devastating.Edward Jatta Senior Manager of Generators urged Gambians to remain vigilant, “I think it’s important we call on Gambians non Gambians, and everybody living in the Gambia to be quite vigilant.”he said.
The stolen materials, often sold at the black market, represent a substantial financial loss for the company far-reaching impact of such criminal acts on NAWEC’s ability to provide reliable power.
