 
Contact Address:
PURA
Banjul area HQ office
94 Kairaba Avenue, Fajara M Section
P.O. Box 4230, Bakau
kanifing Municipality, Ksmd
The Gambia, West Africa
Tel no: 4399601 / 4399604 / 4465180
148
(Consumer Enquiries)
Fax: 4399905
Email: info@pura.gm
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Information:
The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority Act
of 2001, provides for the establishment of the
PURA authority to regulate the activities of providers
of certain public utilities in the various economic
sectors.
Amongst them energy services (electricity, petroleum
and gas), communications services (telecommunications,
broadcasting and postal services), water and sewerage
services and transport services (on land, water and
in the air). Currently the authority regulates the following
companies namely, Nawec,
Gamtel, Gamcel, Africell,
Comium and the Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
The Act only came into force towards the end of 2003,
while the Authority was set up in 2004. The setting
up of PURA emanated from the Private Sector Participation
and Regulatory Framework for The Gambia Study, funded
by PPIAF, which is administered by the World Bank.
The first Director General of the Authority was appointed
in February 2004, while the Chairman and other non-executive
members of the Board of Commissioners were appointed
in October 2004. Subsequently an executive commissioner
and four other directors were appointed in December
2004.
Their Mission Statement:
To create a competitive environment for Utilities to
expand their services and strengthen their infrastructure,
thereby ensuring that services to consumers are available,
accessible, and affordable.
Main Roles:
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Provide guidelines on rates and
fees for the provision of regulated public services |
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Promote fair competition among public
utilities |
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Protect the interest of consumers
and of public utilities |
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Initiate and conduct investigations
into standards of services by public utilities |
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Monitor and enforce standards of
performance by public utilities |
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Examine rates and fees chargeable
for the provision of regulated public services |
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Collect and compile data on regulated
public services and their provision necessary
for the performance of the Authority’s functions |
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Maintain a register (which may be
in electronic form) of public utilities and the
services they provide |
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Conduct studies relating to economies
and efficiency in the provision of regulated public
services to consumers |
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Recommend and administer, in accordance
with the PURA Act 200, a licensing system in respect
of public utilities |
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Provide advice in respect of regulated
public services and their provision |
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Prepare or cause to be prepared
any relevant documentation (including drafts of
any required legislation) necessary to give the
Authority the power to regulate public utilities
in accordance with the PURA Act 2001; and, |
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Provides advice or assistance to
a public utility to assist or enable the public
utility to comply with a requirement of this Act
or of any license |
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Perform such other functions as
may be imposed on it by any other legislation. |
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Publish appropriate information
relating to the Authority’s functions and activities |
Organizational Structure:
• Telecommunications Division
Advises the Board (through the Director General) on
issues relevant to the regulation of the telecommunications
sector, including spectrum management and numbering
administration, but not including broadcasting or the
Internet. It monitors investment programs, compliance
with regulations and service quality.
• Water
and Electricity Division
Advises the Board (through the Director General) on
issues relevant to regulation of the electricity and
water sectors. It monitors investment programs, compliance
with regulations and service quality.
• Economics
& Finance Directorate
Advises the Board (through the Director General) on
rates and tariffs; performs economic and financial analyses;
conducts research and develops special studies and forecasts.
• Administration and Human Resources
Oversees personnel functions of the PURA; coordinates
administrative activities, including internal accounting
procedures; man-ages the information technology functions.
• Consumer Affairs Directorate
Receives consumer complaints of utility services and
reviews these with the relevant service providers. It
monitors the level of consumer satisfaction with services
provided by utilities and the PURA itself. It evaluates
the performance of the utilities against the respective
quality of service standards and assists the Board in
publishing information relating to the PURA’s functions
and activities. Advises the Board of the public perception
of PURA’s performance, and, where appropriate, suggests
actions to improve PURA’s image.
• General
Counsel
Advises the Board (through the Director General) and
management on all legal matters affecting the Authority.
Draft all legal instruments such as licenses, contracts
and regulations of the Authority. Also acts as Secretary
to the Board of Commissioners
Challenges:
The PURA challenge is to ensure the proactive and effective
implementation of sound policies governing the regulated
sectors of the Telecommunications, Electricity and Water
sectors in the first instance in a predictable, equitable
and transparent manner. This should be supported by
sound regulatory legislation, coupled with the building
of the requisite human capacity within PURA to assure
efficient and effective regulation of these vibrant
sectors that serve as pacesetter for the transformation
of the Gambian economy into the new Millennium and in
the realisation of Vision 2020.
Electricity & Water:
The agency has the mandate to regulate the electricity
and water markets in the Gambia. In 2008, NAWEC
had a monopoly in the provision of Electricity and Water
services.
Telecommunications:
The Gambia Telecommunications industry comprises a fixed
network, GAMTEL and two mobile network service providers
GAMCEL and AFRICEL, whilst the four Internet service
providers (ISPs) are GAMTEL’s ISP, QuantumNet, NetPage
and AirTip. There are other non-commercial ISPs such
as MRC, Shell Oil Company, Standard Chartered Bank and
UNDP.
Petroleum Sub Sector:
The Department of Energy, which has developed the National
Energy Policy, aims to bring the downstream petroleum
sub-sector in line with modern international standards,
and as envisaged in the Policy Document so that consumers
can get the most benefits. |
