Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – A leading human rights organization has demanded that The Gambia’s national utility company, NAWEC, release the findings of an investigation into the deaths of seven contractors who were killed while working on high-tension cables in the North Bank Region last year.
The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice (EFSCRJ) issued a statement on Friday, calling on NAWEC to publicly disclose the report detailing the causes of the deadly incident and the accountability measures taken to prevent future accidents.
The tragedy occurred on October 9, 2024, near the villages of Essau, Sami, and Mendy Kunda, where seven employees of KEI Construction Company were electrocuted while working on NAWEC’s infrastructure.
The accident shocked the nation and raised serious concerns about worker safety and oversight in Gambia’s power sector.
Although NAWEC promptly issued a condolence message on the day of the incident—acknowledging the loss and promising to work with relevant authorities to investigate the cause of the accident—no official report has been made public nearly nine months later.
“As an accountability organization, we have therefore written to NAWEC to demand the investigation report for transparency and accountability in the interest of the protection of human rights,” EFSCRJ stated.
The rights group disclosed that it had specifically requested two key documents: the full investigative report detailing the circumstances of the accident and a separate document outlining the accountability measures NAWEC has adopted to prevent such incidents in the future.
EFSCRJ further argued that NAWEC has a legal obligation under The Gambia’s Access to Information Act, 2021, to proactively disclose such information within 30 days of its creation or receipt.
“The law mandates public bodies to proactively disclose information that they generated or received within 30 days. An investigation report of this incident falls within the terms of proactive disclosure in Section 7,” the organization noted.
The group also reminded NAWEC that under Section 14 of the Act, it now has 21 days to respond to their formal request.
“Public institutions must be transparent and accountable, without which the protection and fulfillment of rights will be severely undermined,” the group emphasized.
EFSCRJ concluded by reaffirming its commitment to advancing transparency and accountability in public institutions, declaring 2025 as its “Year of Transparency and Accountability.”
The group’s demand has reignited public calls for greater openness in the aftermath of fatal workplace accidents, with many Gambians questioning why such a significant report has remained hidden from the public eye.
So far, NAWEC has not commented on the latest demand.
