Energy Minister Defends Barrow’s Record as Power Cuts Fuel Public Frustration

By Makutu Manneh

Nani Juwara, the minister of petroleum, energy, and mines, has defended the Barrow administration’s record on electricity, urging Gambians frustrated by persistent power cuts to remain patient while arguing that the government has made significant gains in expanding access to electricity.

Speaking at a rally of the governing National People’s Party in New Jeshwang over the weekend, Mr. Juwara acknowledged growing public concern over electricity shortages, including nighttime outages in some communities. But he said the current difficulties should be weighed against what he described as substantial improvements in the energy sector since President Adama Barrow took office.

Mr. Juwara credited the administration with expanding household access to electricity and said rising consumption was, in part, a consequence of the country’s development.

“President Barrow made it possible for several meters to be installed in one compound, whereas previously only one meter was found per compound,” Mr. Juwara said. “Air conditioning is now common in homes and offices, compared to the past when only fans were available.”

The minister said about 90 percent of communities in The Gambia now have access to electricity, up from 43 percent before Mr. Barrow took office. He did not provide supporting data for the figures during his remarks.

Mr. Juwara said the administration was working toward Mr. Barrow’s pledge to extend electricity to every community in the country by the end of 2026.

But the expansion of electricity access has also placed greater pressure on the country’s power supply, Mr. Juwara said. As more homes and businesses connect to the grid and increasingly use appliances such as air-conditioners, demand has risen, creating additional challenges for the country’s electricity infrastructure.

He urged Gambians to be patient, saying equipment failures and other technical difficulties were inevitable but that the government was working to address the disruptions.

“The ministry is doing everything possible to end the electricity crisis,” Mr. Juwara said, adding that officials were pressing NAWEC, the national water and electricity utility, to find a lasting solution to the power difficulties.

Mr. Juwara also pointed to New Jeswang as an example of what he described as the administration’s broader development record. He said the community had changed considerably from a period when roads were poor, electricity supplies were unreliable, and students struggled to study under difficult conditions.

He attributed those improvements to Mr. Barrow’s government, saying the president’s tenure had brought significant changes to the area.

Mr. Juwara’s remarks came as the governing party seeks to make its development record a central part of its case for another term in office. With the December presidential election approaching, he urged voters to support Mr. Barrow again, portraying another mandate as recognition of what the president has delivered since taking office.