Here's a story on Observer that has been categorically denied by
Venezuelan authorities as outright lies by Gambia Government
representatives. See the story and response from Venezuelan
authorities below:

US$22M electrification project awarded to local contractors
Africa » Gambia
Tuesday, September 06, 2011

The National Water and Electricity Company (Nawec) Saturday awarded
over the US$22 million Venezuela Electricity Project Phase One to
local contractors at a ceremony held at the West Coast Region (WCR)
governor’s residence in Brikama.

The contractors are Dabanani, Power Com Mu Gaw, New Gambia
Industrials, General Engineers and BB Electrical. The US$22 million
was obtained by Nawec through the Gambia government from the Republic
of Venezuela, and is among other things aimed at refurbishing,
rehabilitating and expanding the electricity network in the Greater
Banjul Area.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lang Sabally, the project coordinator
disclosed that 70-80 percent of the first phase of the project will be
installed in the WCR. He explained that this is the first phase of the
project with installation of 4500 KVA, adding that another 500 KVA
installation will be in the Kanifing Municipality and the Greater
Banjul Area.

Sabally dilated on the history of the power sector over the past
years. He said: “If you check the development of the power sector in
the Greater Banjul Area in the late 1970s and early 1990s, the load
centre was in Banjul and it gradually shifted with the commissioning
of Kotu Power Station in 1981.”

Regarding the second phase, he said that 70-80 percent of the
installation will be in the WCR, further hinting that efforts are on
to secure more funds to pump into the energy sector.

On his part, Ebrima Sanyang, deputy managing director of Nawec, said:
“In the first phase, we will be having close to 108 kilometers of
distribution. The panels are fitted with street lighting equipment;
the conductors are fitted with street lighting accessories. So it will
be easy in the future to provide street lighting in the entire
administration area of the project.

He noted that WCR, particularly Brikama, will benefit a lot from the
project. “We commissioned a 9 megawatt plant within the industrial
zone of Brikama and we are expanding the same plan to 30 megawatts in
the future. So if it works well, the town of Brikama will have a
befitting expansion,” he added.

Sanyang further noted that the contractors executing the project in
various parts of the Greater Banjul Area are Gambians. “We believe it
is our responsibility to build capacity and also ensure that the
little revenues out of the project stay in the country,” he said.

Mama Nyang, the deputy permanent secretary, Ministry of Energy,
described WCR as one of the fastest growing areas of the country, with
the provision of electricity paramount in its development. He on
behalf of the government of The Gambia thanked the government of
Venezuela for providing funds for setting up the project.

“The fruitful cooperation between the two countries will continue to
grow from strength to strength for the mutual benefit of the two
countries,” he added.

Also speaking at the occasion, Lamin Sanneh, the governor of WCR
acknowledged that the project will greatly facilitate lots of
development in his region, and the entire country by extension. “We
really embrace and support the project and the contactors are our
domestic local contractors and hence they are Gambians, they should
know the Gambian situation,” he said.

Meanwhile, the beneficiaries of the first phase of the project are
Brikama Darsilami, Jida 1 and 2, Brikama Ice Plant, Lamin Harr-Yallah,
Lamin Sateh-ba, New Yundum, New Busumbala, New Banjulinding, Nemasu
Layout, Sukuta 1 and 2, Sukuta Sanchaba, Brufut Newtowm, and Farato.

Author: Omar Wally
LIES+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++LIES+++++++++++++++++++++++++LIES+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Venezuelan Deputy FM: No donation has been made to Gambia

Venezuelan Deputy Foreign Minister Temir Porras denied the information
provided by the head of the Rural Electrification Project in Gambia,
Lang Sabally
Related Content

http://www.eluniversal.com/2011/09/06/venezuelan-deputy-fm-no-donation-has-been-made-to-gambia.shtml

  EL UNIVERSAL
Tuesday September 06, 2011  04:12 PM


The Venezuelan government said it has not donated USD 22 million to
overhaul the electricity grid in Gambia, contrary to the statements
made in Banjul by a Gambian official, reported Venezuelan official
news agency AVN.

Venezuelan Deputy Foreign Minister Temir Porras published on his
Twitter account that such information was false. "This is false,"
tweeted Porras.

The head of the Rural Electrification Project in Gambia, Lang Sabally,
said at a news conference Monday that Venezuela had donated USD 22
million to finance the overhaul of the Gambian power grid and improve
its energy coverage, as quoted by AFP.

The funding of the rural electrification project should make possible
the "revamping, overhaul, and extension of the power grid in the
capital Banjul and its surroundings," said Sabally.


-- 
-Laye
==============================
"With fair speech thou might have thy will,
With it thou might thy self spoil."
--The R.M

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