Contact Address Details:
 PURA
Website: www.pura.gm
Banjul area HQ office
94 Kairaba Avenue
Fajara M Section
P.O. Box 4230, Bakau
kanifing Municipality, Ksmd
The Gambia,
West Africa
Tel no: +220 4399601
4399604
4465180
Fax:
4399905
Email: info@pura.gm
Consumer Enquiries
Phone: 148
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Organizational Structure:
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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.
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Background 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 |
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