The National Assembly Member for Latrikunda Sabiji, Yahya Menteng Sanyang, has declared The Gambia’s worsening electricity crisis a national emergency, warning that persistent power outages are crippling businesses, disrupting livelihoods and placing unbearable pressure on households across the country.

Speaking during deliberations on matters of urgent public importance in the National Assembly, Mr Sanyang said the scale of the blackouts affecting communities, businesses and public institutions demands immediate intervention from the government and energy authorities.

The lawmaker told Parliament that recurring power cuts in the Greater Banjul Area, the West Coast Region and other parts of the country are having devastating economic and social consequences, with millions of Gambians bearing the burden of an unreliable electricity supply.

According to Mr Sanyang, small and medium-sized enterprises are among the biggest casualties of the crisis. He said many business owners are struggling to remain operational as frequent outages continue to disrupt their daily activities.

Tailors, mechanics, hairdressers, welders and shopkeepers whose businesses depend on electricity are seeing their productivity decline and their incomes shrink as power interruptions become increasingly common, he said.

Mr Sanyang warned that if urgent action is not taken, many small businesses could face collapse, resulting in further economic hardship and job losses.

The MP also highlighted the growing difficulties faced by ordinary families, noting that many households are losing money as food and other perishable goods spoil because refrigerators and freezers cannot function during prolonged blackouts.

At a time when many Gambians are already grappling with the high cost of living, he argued that the electricity crisis is placing an additional financial burden on struggling families.

Mr Sanyang blamed the country’s energy challenges on years of inadequate investment in domestic power generation, arguing that The Gambia has become excessively dependent on imported electricity.

He said the country must urgently strengthen its local generation capacity to reduce its vulnerability to external power supply disruptions.

The lawmaker specifically pointed to generation facilities in Kotu and Brikama, arguing that greater investment in such infrastructure is necessary to improve energy security and guarantee a more reliable electricity supply.

Rejecting suggestions that the current situation represents a temporary disruption, Mr Sanyang maintained that the frequency and severity of the outages reveal deeper structural problems within the energy sector.

He said the continued interruptions affecting homes, businesses, schools and health facilities demonstrate that the country’s electricity challenges can no longer be treated as short-term difficulties.

Calling for decisive action, the Latrikunda Sabiji representative urged the government, the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) to present a clear and comprehensive roadmap for restoring stable electricity supply.

He said Gambians deserve transparency regarding the causes of the crisis, the measures being taken to address it and the timeline for achieving a sustainable solution.

Mr Sanyang further stressed that reliable electricity is essential for economic growth, job creation and national development, warning that continued instability in the energy sector could undermine the country’s development ambitions.

His intervention comes amid growing public frustration over recurring power cuts, with residents and business owners increasingly demanding accountability and long-term solutions from authorities responsible for managing the country’s electricity infrastructure.

By Adama Makasuba