New solar payment modalities discussed

The community sensitisation of at least 35 participants on the new payment modalities for community-based solar power water supply systems, ended recently in Janjangbureh, Central River Region.

The objective of the sensitisation was to enlightened the stakeholders at regional and community levels, on their roles and responsibilities to ensure proper utilisation and sustainability of the water supply systems.

Declaring the workshop closed, Lamin Darboe, the deputy governor spoke at length on the importance of the sensitisation, noting that the water management committees play a vital role in the proper management of hand pumps and boreholes. He added that boreholes and hand pumps are very expensive and if the solar panels are not properly managed, they will not last long. He called on the management committee to make sure that funds are mobilised for their maintenance.

Buba Joof, from the Department of Community Development, said the new payment modalities will help to save money for the communities to maintain their solar panels and hand pumps whenever there is a problem.  He urged the communities to establish strong committees for sustainability of their wells. Mr Joof also urged the participants to disseminate what has been acquired during the sensitisation.

Maku Ceesay, the chairman of the Janjangbureh Area Council revealed the series of problems in terms of management and proper caring of the solar panels, eventually leading to the loss of some panels in most villages.  He advised them to save money for maintenance of their wells so they could be used whenever  the solar panels have problems.