By Alieu Jallow
Following a tragic incident in North Bank where seven NAWEC subcontractors were killed due to electrocution, Abdou Ceesay, a health and safety officer, emphasized the urgent need for improved safety measures and accountability, noting that the incident could have been averted or minimized if proper safety measures had been put in place.
He cited negligence and regulatory failures in an interview with The Fatu Network.
Last Wednesday, October 9, the North Bank community was shocked by a tragic electrocution event that claimed the lives of seven individuals. Reports indicated that the victims were changing an old electric pole when a sudden surge of electricity struck, leading to a cascade of devastation.
“My observation of this tragic incident is total negligence of safety measures as they were working basically without personal protective equipment as they only had a helmet which was not tied to their heads and some of them were using slippers to work,” he said.
During the ongoing police investigations, Ceesay claimed that the company did not comply with safety regulations nor properly train their employees for working in hazardous conditions.
He also pointed out that the reflectors worn by them were not suitable, as they provided only static light and were therefore not recommended.
“It is just a negligent conduct. The safety officers in the company did not live up to expectations as they flouted the safety measures,” Ceesay said.
The tragic outcome of this incident brings to light wider issues regarding regulatory compliance and enforcement in The Gambia. In response, Ceesay stated that his foundation would push for the implementation of a safety policy act across all Gambian institutions to prevent such unfortunate fatalities.
“Effective regulatory frameworks are essential to prevent such tragedies. We can only sympathise and sensitise, and we will try to work with the government to provide a sympathy package for victims”.
