By Ramatoulie Jawo
The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) presented its 2021 activity reports and financial statements to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Public Committee on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.
During the presentation, PURA Chairman Alieu M. Ngum stated that the authority remained steadfast in executing its mandate, even in the face of the unprecedented challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic shed a spotlight on the pivotal role of ICT in our economy, leading to a surge in the utilization of ICT across various sectors. This surge was primarily driven by the evolving needs and demands of consumers as they adapted to the new normal
“This surge, in turn, significantly contributed to our nation’s progress towards achieving a digital economy, as outlined in the National Development Plan. We recognize that the growth of energy and ICT services is paramount to our mandate and heightens consumer expectations,” he told the committee.
Mr. Ngum, the Director General of PURA, explained that the authority’s pursuit of strategic objectives continues to be instrumental in guiding the Gambia towards the creation of a connected society through the development and implementation of enabling regulations, fostering partnerships, and promoting innovation in both ICT and renewable energy solutions.
The Director General of PURA, Yusupha M. Jobe, highlighted that the growth of the ICT and energy sectors in the Gambia has continued to trend upward.
“The growth in the ICT sector is attributed to the increased uptake of ICT services marked by increased mobile telephony, Internet and mobile money subscriptions; in the energy sector, it is due to the expansion of the power supply to the ever-increasing customer base and increasing urbanization,” he said.
He told the committee that GAMCEL, AFRICELL, and QCELL increased their active mobile subscribers, while COMIUM realized a decrease of 36% during this period.
“To safeguard the interests of consumers in the ICT and energy sectors, the Authority handled consumer complaints and inquiries diligently and speedily; this involved the resolution of various complaints relating to services provided by licensees as well as attending inquiries on various ICT issues,” he said.
The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority is scheduled to reappear before next Thursday for the consideration of their report.