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The Gambia can achieve its energy goal and be energy self-reliant if it focuses on renewable energy such as wind and solar, the commissioner of the United States Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs has stated.
Orjiakor N. Isiogu was speaking to journalists during a press conference at the US Banjul Embassy, along the Kairaba Avenue on Thursday. The US official recently participated in The 2nd National Renewable Energy Forum. He said given the size of the country, it doesn’t need lot of capacity to achieve its energy goal compared to other countries.
“It is always a pleasure to participate in a programme like this. This programme was sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to help build capacity of regulators across the country. We are a group of commissions across 50 states with affiliated members in Nigeria, Virgin Island, and Jamaica and hopefully some point we will welcome Gambia too. We have been providing assistance to countries in order to develop capacity to ensure that there is enough energy to serve the population,” he explained.
The US energy expert underscored the need for structures and regulations to be in place in order to make sure that investors are comfortable to invest to generate the needed power.
“You need regulators who are very knowledgeable on what the rules are, generally in areas of economics, engineering, accounting and law,” he reiterated, saying they were in the country to find out where the needs are, what kind of resources are needed so that they can help.
He observed that the country’s Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA), though very young, has come a long way in putting together the building blocks needed for regulation.
“We will continue to work with PURA so that it continues to serve the interests of the citizens it represents,” he assured.
Commissioner Isiogu expressed his delight about the sucessful implementation of some of the ideas, citing the ‘Consumer Bantaba’ organised by PURA for consumers to raise their concerns and comments, as an example.
“We have been doing regulation in the US since 1873. We have a long history of regulating utilities in our country, but we are also learning from our partners,” he added.
Commenting on what The Gambia stands to gain from the partnership, Isiogu informed that the country will have access to experts in various aspects of regulation, get information from investors as well as get the exposure outside.
To him, there are lots of benefits to gain from the partnership beyond just energy. Noting that The Gambia is ahead of so many countries. The US expert however stressed that there is no cause for complacency as there is still room for improvement.
He then expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality accorded them during their stay in the country.
The manager, International Programmes of the National Association of Regulatory Commissioners (NARUC), Bevan Flansburg, pledged their resolve to support capacity building in countries across the world. She informed that her institute works with regulatory utilities to identify their capacity needs and use their membership to share best experiences with these regulators.
She revealed that they have a membership of about one thousand, that can share their best practices with the regulators. Indicating that they have a number of regulatory partnerships across Africa, Flansburg said two years ago, they released a handbook on renewable energy for regulators. This, Flansburg said, is the basis for the partnership called ‘Regulating clean energy and international partnership’. The areas where they can help The Gambia, she disclosed, will include facilitating dialogue among stakeholders and also providing practical expertise.
Also present at the press briefing were the public affairs officer at the US Embassy, Joshua S. Shrager; the deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy, Richard Yoneoka; and the programme officer of International programmes at NARUC, Barbara Doggett.
Energy Forum
The 2nd National Renewable Energy Dialogue Forum on “Next steps in Renewable Energy Regulation” was organised by the country’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) and the National Association of Regional Utility Commissioners (NARUC).
The forum, held at the Sheraton Resort & Spa in Brufut, was funded by the United Nations Agency for International Development (UNAID). It brought together over 50 participants from across the country, as well as experts from the Regulatory Commission in the US and the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. The forum was designed to further dialogue on national level policy on clean energy and to increase stakeholders’ collaboration in identifying tangible steps in further promoting renewable energy.
The objectives of the forum were to assess progress made on renewable energy regulation since The Gambia National Forum on Renewable Energy Regulation was held last year; to promote national level discussion on clean energy policy, including legal and regulatory frameworks, with particular focus on the draft and RE law; and to review the implementation of recent RE projects and identify recommendations for smoother implementation of future projects, amongst others.
“It is always a pleasure to participate in a programme like this. This programme was sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to help build capacity of regulators across the country. We are a group of commissions across 50 states with affiliated members in Nigeria, Virgin Island, and Jamaica and hopefully some point we will welcome Gambia too. We have been providing assistance to countries in order to develop capacity to ensure that there is enough energy to serve the population,” he explained.
The US energy expert underscored the need for structures and regulations to be in place in order to make sure that investors are comfortable to invest to generate the needed power.
“You need regulators who are very knowledgeable on what the rules are, generally in areas of economics, engineering, accounting and law,” he reiterated, saying they were in the country to find out where the needs are, what kind of resources are needed so that they can help.
He observed that the country’s Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA), though very young, has come a long way in putting together the building blocks needed for regulation.
“We will continue to work with PURA so that it continues to serve the interests of the citizens it represents,” he assured.
Commissioner Isiogu expressed his delight about the sucessful implementation of some of the ideas, citing the ‘Consumer Bantaba’ organised by PURA for consumers to raise their concerns and comments, as an example.
“We have been doing regulation in the US since 1873. We have a long history of regulating utilities in our country, but we are also learning from our partners,” he added.
Commenting on what The Gambia stands to gain from the partnership, Isiogu informed that the country will have access to experts in various aspects of regulation, get information from investors as well as get the exposure outside.
To him, there are lots of benefits to gain from the partnership beyond just energy. Noting that The Gambia is ahead of so many countries. The US expert however stressed that there is no cause for complacency as there is still room for improvement.
He then expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality accorded them during their stay in the country.
The manager, International Programmes of the National Association of Regulatory Commissioners (NARUC), Bevan Flansburg, pledged their resolve to support capacity building in countries across the world. She informed that her institute works with regulatory utilities to identify their capacity needs and use their membership to share best experiences with these regulators.
She revealed that they have a membership of about one thousand, that can share their best practices with the regulators. Indicating that they have a number of regulatory partnerships across Africa, Flansburg said two years ago, they released a handbook on renewable energy for regulators. This, Flansburg said, is the basis for the partnership called ‘Regulating clean energy and international partnership’. The areas where they can help The Gambia, she disclosed, will include facilitating dialogue among stakeholders and also providing practical expertise.
Also present at the press briefing were the public affairs officer at the US Embassy, Joshua S. Shrager; the deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy, Richard Yoneoka; and the programme officer of International programmes at NARUC, Barbara Doggett.
Energy Forum
The 2nd National Renewable Energy Dialogue Forum on “Next steps in Renewable Energy Regulation” was organised by the country’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) and the National Association of Regional Utility Commissioners (NARUC).
The forum, held at the Sheraton Resort & Spa in Brufut, was funded by the United Nations Agency for International Development (UNAID). It brought together over 50 participants from across the country, as well as experts from the Regulatory Commission in the US and the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. The forum was designed to further dialogue on national level policy on clean energy and to increase stakeholders’ collaboration in identifying tangible steps in further promoting renewable energy.
The objectives of the forum were to assess progress made on renewable energy regulation since The Gambia National Forum on Renewable Energy Regulation was held last year; to promote national level discussion on clean energy policy, including legal and regulatory frameworks, with particular focus on the draft and RE law; and to review the implementation of recent RE projects and identify recommendations for smoother implementation of future projects, amongst others.