Gambia’s only national energy company launches gender policy

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By ALIMATOU S BAJINKA

The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) has on Friday, May 3, 2022, officially launched a Gender Policy to make the company equitable, diverse and inclusive work place.

In his welcoming remarks at the company’s headquarters in Kanifing, the Managing Director of NAWEC, Mr. Nani Juwara highlighted the misconceptions around gender issues which he said has a direct impact on people’s perceptions of gender policy and why it is relevant for the company.

“I want to be clear, gender is not only about women and it is not some concept that we have imported from other countries. It is about identifying and tackling inequalities between specific groups, making sure that everyone, women or men can fulfill their potential and this is why gender is relevant for NAWEC to ensure that every employee, partner, service provider, and client can benefit and expand their opportunities,” said Mr. Juwara.

The head of Gambia’s only water and electricity company said, by launching the policy document, they have subjected themself to the public court of accountability in terms of the impact the policy may have achieve in the shortest possible time.

The NAWEC Board Chairman, Mr. Ousman Muhammad Cham also expressed similar sentiments, while taking pride in the number of female employees that the company have registered.

“I am proud to say as part of the restructuring process, we are able to attract very qualified staff to NAWEC. Most of them are women, a positive discrimination that the Board without apology embraces,” Mr. Cham stated.

He disclosed that the Board is expecting nothing less than quality performance at all levels of the company, assuring the employees of their continuous support in the operationalisation of the policy.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, Ms. Fatou Kinteh commended the initiation, adding that the policy which seeks to address the unequal gender disparity in the energy sector by increasing the parentage of women in the technical areas would complement their work as a ministry.

While officially launching the Gender Policy, she promised her ministry’s support in harnessing equal participation.

“We guarantee our commitment to work with you in advancing women leadership and participation in NAWEC, in particular and indeed, at every level of the national work force,” Minister Kinteh said.