Saikou Sawo, PPP Presidential Candidate
By Makutu Manneh
Saikou Sawo, the presidential candidate of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), has raised alarms over reports that the Gambian government may be negotiating a long-term water desalination agreement with ACWA Power, cautioning that the proposed deal could lack transparency and may not align with the nation’s best interests.
“There are growing reports that The Gambia may be considering a long-term desalination arrangement with ACWA Power. If this is true, citizens deserve transparency, not just optimistic headlines,” Sawo stated.
Desalination involves removing salts and minerals from seawater or brackish water to produce fresh water for domestic, agricultural, and industrial use.
In a statement shared on his official page, Sawo noted that discussions on the deal reportedly took place at the World Economic Forum in Davos, though no agreement has been signed. He stressed that this is the moment for Gambians to engage before preliminary talks solidify into binding obligations.
“Water security is vital, but poorly structured deals can undermine a nation for decades,” he said, highlighting that desalination is among the most expensive methods of water production. It demands significant energy—often priced in foreign currency—and typically involves contracts spanning 20 to 30 years.
“These contracts often include fixed payments, take-or-pay clauses, and government guarantees. Even when not officially classified as debt, they function like debt,” Sawo explained.
The PPP presidential candidate also emphasized that The Gambia has already been identified by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank as being at high risk of debt distress. He warned that any long-term financial obligations denominated in hard currency could quietly strain public finances, potentially crowding out funding for health, education, agriculture, and job creation.
Sawo cited regional experience, noting that Senegal in 2024 cancelled a 32-year desalination agreement with ACWA Power over concerns that it would drive water tariffs too high and place undue burden on the state and consumers.
He stressed the need for full transparency, calling for public access to the contract, tariff structure, currency denomination, exchange-rate risk allocation, minimum purchase obligations, and any sovereign guarantees or contingent liabilities. “Without this information, citizens cannot determine if the deal truly serves national interests,” he said.
Sawo also highlighted alternative measures to improve water security, including reducing water losses through leak repairs, upgrading distribution networks, expanding storage, managing groundwater, capturing rainwater, investing in modular treatment systems, and promoting wastewater reuse. Should desalination proceed, he recommended negotiating shorter contracts, public ownership stakes, and mandatory technology transfer.
“This is not anti-investment; it is pro-Gambia. Real development is affordable, transparent, and sustainable. It strengthens national capacity rather than locking future generations into rigid financial commitments,” Sawo concluded.
He added, “If a deal is truly good for the country, it will survive public scrutiny.”
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