Sompo Ceesay

PURA, The Gambia

The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) is a multi-sector regulator established by an Act of the National Assembly of The Gambia. Under The Gambia Public Utilities Authority Act of 2001 (The PURA Act), which came into force at the latter part of 2003, the National Assembly (Parliament) set up PURA as a multi-sector regulator. Under the PURA Act, PURA is mandated to regulate the following sectors: 1. Broadcasting 2. Electricity 3. Telecommunications 4. Transportation 5. Water & Sewage sectors and; 6. other public utilities as subsequently prescribed by Government. However, it was decided in its early years in existence, that PURA would not have the capacity to regulate all these sectors at once and therefore a recommendation was made that PURA focus on the regulation of: 1. Telecommunications 2. Electricity 3. Water and Sewerage