The President of The Gambia Adama Barrow officially commissioned the OMVG hydro power connection energy substation in the provincial town of Soma alongside Senegalese President Macky Sall and Bissau Guinean Leader Umaro Sissoco Embalo
The OMVG Hydroelectric sub-station is expected to increase electricity access by 60 percent complementing the Gambia’s current power supply distribution which stands at 40 percent.
The energy grid will connect countries in the sub-region such as The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal.
The Gambian leader Adama Barrow said the hydroelectric facility will significantly address erratic electricity supply in the country and enhance trade among member countries in the subregion.
The newly commissioned station is targeted to increase electricity generation capacity from 102 to 250 Mega Watts.
President Barrow disclosed that, the newly inaugurated project has already strengthened regional integration as manifested in the joint scheme, saying it is a manifestation of the south-south corporation philosophy.
The OMVG project has been hailed for its environmentally-friendly nature and represents what the government calls a significant shift in its electricity production drive towards renewable energy.
Barrow maintained that the OMVG project will boost bilateral and multilateral cooperations with countries in the sub-region.
In 2019, the OMVG was negotiated by member countries through their electricity companies who put heads together to trigger the idea which resulted in the outcome of this inauguration.
The project, he added is an accomplished reality, thanking the World Bank, OMVG member countries and other partners for their tremendous support in the realisation of the project.
Barrow re-emphasised his government’s readiness in introducing urgent measures to expediently fill the gap between energy demand and supply.
The commissioning of the Soma Substation is a landmark pushing member countries and their citizenry to greater hopes of ending decades of erratic power supply.
