Re - NAWEC transformer at the Kanifing East Housing Estate set on fire

Dear Mr Editor,

I wish to humbly request for space in your widely read newspaper to inform our people about the above unfortunate incident that occurred at the above Estate during the early hours of christmas Day.

It started precisely around 2:30 am. This is the third of its kind this year and at about the same time of the day on all the occasions. On the first two occasions it was hard to determine the cause.  This time there was no doubt that the act was done by someone who took a bunch of dry coconut leaves, set it on fire and pushed it into the transformer.

My family is always woken up by the blast and explosion. My compound unfortunately is next to the transformer. We always pick the kinds up from their beds and run to the trees in the community centre opposite our compound for safety.

We would then immediately call NAWEC. They never wasted any time to come and put out the fire with handfuls of sand. Nobody in the Estate would know what was happening except the three or four compound close to ours. When the lights goes off people assume it was just power cut. This now is a thing of the past.  Power cuts happen those days only when major works are being undertaken . My honest view is that the technical unit of NAWEC has been doing extremely well.  

I have a lot of respect and admiration for this team.  I have watched them restored the transformer on all three occasions very skillfully and efficiently. My concern and worry has always been and still is the cost of restoring the transmeter. Certainly both the Government and NAWEC cannot afford it.

I have advised and recommended that either all of the following or some of them be put in place wherever NAWEC transformers are,

1. Strong fencing of metal wire and metal post with a door and padlock.
2. A security guard at late hours of the night and early hours of the mornings.
3. Alarm device fixed on all transformers
4. Surveillance video camera somewhere close to the transformers be put in place.

Kanifing Estate has not had street lights for many years now. As a result, we have records of cases of bandits seizing things from people particularly women. The layout has never had any street lights.

At the moment we are trying to get KMC and NAWEC to come to our rescue. As Chairman of the Kanifing East Development Committee I can assure the authorities that we are willing to contribute towards any effort to make sure we live in peace. We are determined to make sure that Kanifing East become and remains a crime free environment. To achieve this, we need support from the Government, the police, KMC and NAWEC.

Thank you in advance I will take this opportunity on behalf of the entire community to wish The Government and every Gambian a happy and peaceful New Year.