MoU signed between the Brikama Area Council and GAM-Solar Energy

On the 23rd of January, 2019 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Brikama Area Council (BAC) and GAM-Solar Energy & Engineering Co. Ltd. The event was attended by staffs from both parties, invited guest and the press was also present to cover this event.

Brikama Area Council as a Local Government Authority under the Ministry of Local Government and Lands, with offices at Brikama covers the whole of West Coast Region (WCR) with a land area of 1764 km². It is divided into 9 districts, each headed by a Chief, 28 Wards, each headed by an elected Councillor and a total of 280 villages headed by an Alkalo (village head). The Council is the most populous with a population of 699,704 according to the 2013 Census, representing 37% of the Gambia’s population, which grew by 38.35%, while that of the Council grew by 76.60% between 2003 to 2013. The current population (2018) amounts to approx. 750,000 people.

GAM-SOLAR has ample experience in the implementation of solar projects in more than 350 rural villages in The Gambia since 1998, and as social entrepreneurs is the initiator of a revolving GAM-SOLAR Trust Fund to finance social development projects on a micro-finance basis, whereby beneficiaries pay back the investment to the fund through affordable fees and flexible payment plans. With the returned funds other projects are initiated.

The partnership between the Council and GAM-SOLAR is intended to create a new business model and a win-win situation, creating a green economy in The Gambia, while mitigating emissions affecting climate change, helping the population by improving access to clean water and reducing energy poverty by using solar energy.  

The objective of signing this MoU is to join forces in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) as advocated in the National Development Plan of The Gambia, whereby the two entities will be working together to create social-economic solutions through the development of economic growth centers through the application of solar energy as a resource abundantly available for the country and its people in the areas of community water pumping, irrigation projects to increase food production, innovative solar cookers reducing deforestation, while at the same time mitigating the effects of Climate Change.

By working together both parties intend to approach international financiers with specific climate change project proposals in the above mentioned areas, as well as for a 100kWp solar power system for the Brikama Area Council Complex to eliminate the costs of running a generator.

Signed:

Chairman of Brikama Area Council                                  

Managing Director / CEO GAM-Solar Energy