Back and Next - Back and NextEC Supports Gambia government water sector
Monday, February 16, 2009
The Gambian leader, Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, last Friday, on behalf of the department of Water Resources, received at State House, a donation of five brand new vehicles, 15 motor cycles, and borehole drilling machines from the European Commission.
The items, worth 30 million dalasis, according to officials, are earmarked for the Rural Water Supply Sector Support (RWSSS), a project that aims at providing clean and safe drinking water for the inhabitants of the rural and peri-urban communities. The objective of the project which is budgeted at the tune of 6.8 million Euros is aimed at increasing access to rural and peri-urban water supply for about 115,000 people in villages in various regions of the country, as well as improving sanitation and hygienic practices and quality monitoring in the beneficiary communities, amongst others.
Receiving the gesture, President Jammeh commended the European Commission for the move, saying that water is indispensable. He reiterated his goal of ensuring that all residents in The Gambia have access to clean and safe drinking water.
The Gambian leader assured the donors of regular maintenance of the donated items to ensure achievement of the objectives. However, President Jammeh recalled instances when solar panels had been stolen, warning that any such occurrence will force his government to hold the entire village concerned responsible. He stressed that his government is doing all it can to create a conducive environment for all in The Gambia.
Conveying gratitude to the European Commission through its offices in The Gambia, President Jammeh expressed desire to embark on a nationwide tour soon to inspect ongoing projects in the country. The secretary of state for Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, Yankuba Touray, joined the Gambian leader in commending the European Commission for their support to the country’s water sector.
According to SoS Touray, the cabinet, in 2007, had approved the first national water policy. This, according to him, led to European Commission’s intervention to complement government’s efforts in providing clean and portable water supply to rural communities. He also noted that the commission has also supported the National Water and Electricity Company in providing water supply to peri-urban communities.
While assuring the donors of the good use of the donated items, SoS Yankuba Touray revealed that The Gambia has attained the MDGs in terms of water. He noted that 84.1 percent of The Gambia’s rural population have access to water supply. Madam Helene Cave, the Chargé d’Affares of the European Commission in The Gambia, pointed to the fact the Gambian leader himself presided over the handing over ceremony, despite his busy schedule, as a manifestation of his commitment to “this key sector for the development of the country.”
Madam Cave argued that the water sector has always been, and is still one of the main areas of concentration in the activities of the European Commission in The Gambia, through European Development Fund (EDF). The EC Chargé d’Affares recalled that EU’s involvement in the water sector of The Gambia took off in 1990, with the start of the Western Africa Regional Solar Programme (RSP) Phase I, supplemented by national projects, the Upper River Division Integrated Programme and the Divisional Development Programme.
The success of these projects, according to Cave, resulted to another rural water supply programme, which was inaugurated in December 1999. “This programme, she added, “is still operational and will provide 12 additional solar pumping units to be installed in 2009.” She noted that the current project, Financing Agreement for the Rural Water Supply Sector Support was signed between the European Commission and The Gambia, in March 2006, with a total budget of 6.8 million Euros, equivalent to around 225 million dalasi.
The EC Chargé d’Affares then went on to assure the government of the EU’s total commitment to assisting The Gambia in its efforts to foster socio-economic development in reaching the MDGs.
The permanent secretary at the department of state for Finance and Economic Affairs, Mod Secka, observed that the Rural Water Supply Sector Support programme will directly contribute to poverty alleviation in The Gambia. Its objective is to provide safe drinking water supply to all by 2020, as well as to attain the MDG goal 7, which targets to reduce by half, the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water.
The items, worth 30 million dalasis, according to officials, are earmarked for the Rural Water Supply Sector Support (RWSSS), a project that aims at providing clean and safe drinking water for the inhabitants of the rural and peri-urban communities. The objective of the project which is budgeted at the tune of 6.8 million Euros is aimed at increasing access to rural and peri-urban water supply for about 115,000 people in villages in various regions of the country, as well as improving sanitation and hygienic practices and quality monitoring in the beneficiary communities, amongst others.
Receiving the gesture, President Jammeh commended the European Commission for the move, saying that water is indispensable. He reiterated his goal of ensuring that all residents in The Gambia have access to clean and safe drinking water.
The Gambian leader assured the donors of regular maintenance of the donated items to ensure achievement of the objectives. However, President Jammeh recalled instances when solar panels had been stolen, warning that any such occurrence will force his government to hold the entire village concerned responsible. He stressed that his government is doing all it can to create a conducive environment for all in The Gambia.
Conveying gratitude to the European Commission through its offices in The Gambia, President Jammeh expressed desire to embark on a nationwide tour soon to inspect ongoing projects in the country. The secretary of state for Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, Yankuba Touray, joined the Gambian leader in commending the European Commission for their support to the country’s water sector.
According to SoS Touray, the cabinet, in 2007, had approved the first national water policy. This, according to him, led to European Commission’s intervention to complement government’s efforts in providing clean and portable water supply to rural communities. He also noted that the commission has also supported the National Water and Electricity Company in providing water supply to peri-urban communities.
While assuring the donors of the good use of the donated items, SoS Yankuba Touray revealed that The Gambia has attained the MDGs in terms of water. He noted that 84.1 percent of The Gambia’s rural population have access to water supply. Madam Helene Cave, the Chargé d’Affares of the European Commission in The Gambia, pointed to the fact the Gambian leader himself presided over the handing over ceremony, despite his busy schedule, as a manifestation of his commitment to “this key sector for the development of the country.”
Madam Cave argued that the water sector has always been, and is still one of the main areas of concentration in the activities of the European Commission in The Gambia, through European Development Fund (EDF). The EC Chargé d’Affares recalled that EU’s involvement in the water sector of The Gambia took off in 1990, with the start of the Western Africa Regional Solar Programme (RSP) Phase I, supplemented by national projects, the Upper River Division Integrated Programme and the Divisional Development Programme.
The success of these projects, according to Cave, resulted to another rural water supply programme, which was inaugurated in December 1999. “This programme, she added, “is still operational and will provide 12 additional solar pumping units to be installed in 2009.” She noted that the current project, Financing Agreement for the Rural Water Supply Sector Support was signed between the European Commission and The Gambia, in March 2006, with a total budget of 6.8 million Euros, equivalent to around 225 million dalasi.
The EC Chargé d’Affares then went on to assure the government of the EU’s total commitment to assisting The Gambia in its efforts to foster socio-economic development in reaching the MDGs.
The permanent secretary at the department of state for Finance and Economic Affairs, Mod Secka, observed that the Rural Water Supply Sector Support programme will directly contribute to poverty alleviation in The Gambia. Its objective is to provide safe drinking water supply to all by 2020, as well as to attain the MDG goal 7, which targets to reduce by half, the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water.
Author: by Hatab Fadera
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