Africa-Press – Gambia. Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) launched the sixth edition of its flagship initiative, the Bantaba Outreach Program, at a ceremony held at its head office along Kairaba Avenue. The event was attended by Pura board members, staff, service providers, and other stakeholders. The Bantaba, brings the regulator closer to the people, engaging directly with consumers to understand their challenges and improve the quality, accessibility, and reliability of essential public services nationwide. In her opening remarks, Madline Badjie, manager of consumer and corporate affairs, described Bantaba 2025 as a vital program that bridges the gap between regulators, service providers, and consumers through open, face-to-face dialogue. “As the directorate responsible for consumer affairs, we always want to hear directly from the people. The chosen theme this year truly reflects our dedication to improving services through listening and engagement,” Badjie said.
Pura director general, Dr Ngoju L. Bah, noted that the Bantaba remains a cornerstone of the Authority’s mission to make regulation responsive to the realities faced by Gambians across all regions. “This initiative gives us a unique opportunity to obtain firsthand information about the experiences and challenges of consumers regarding the services we regulate.”
Pura board chairman Lucy M Fye hailed the Bantaba initiative as a model for participatory regulation and accountability. She stated that since its inception, the program has reached “over 90 villages, impacting nearly 45 percent” of communities nationwide through clustered outreach activities. Over the next ten days, Pura officials and representatives from major service providers will travel across the country to engage rural communities.
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