Although a little too late, yet it was a very bold and wise move on the part of the state-owned supplier of water and electricity to seek the backing of the country’s legislative and oversight arm of government with a view to have its debtors pay their bills to prevent it from falling on its knees.   
Besides, the National Assembly’s publication of the comprehensive list of debtors on the local newspapers and naming the defaulters is as well quiet a commendable move.   
The Assembly’s Public Accounts and Public Enterprises committees (PAC & PEC) had scheduled to convene an extra-ordinary session on 11 and 12 July inorder to put measures in place to help NAWEC recover its debts.
However, its sudden cancelling of that session and postponement of it for ‘further notice’ – unspecified date – without any explaination advanced for its decision is worth worrying.
We hope that the National Assembly will not ‘shamefully blink’ this time as it disappointingly did on the resolved Gambia National Olympic Committee saga by apologizing Gambian president Yahya Jammeh after squeezing the officials of the sports ministry, including the Sports Minister.
And it has been stated that the Office of the President is among the defaulters, alongside twelve ministries. Several other parastatals are named. Some influential economic operators and well-to-do people in Gambian society, surprisingly, are also found wanton.
Infact, the caliber of people and institutions – public and private - named in the list and the exorbitant sums of money they owed suggest that NAWEC should not have gone to the risk of increasing tariffs for its services and products.
It was very clear to NAWEC that the previous tariffs for its services were already considered high, thus increasing it will be highly unwelcomed by the public. It is not helpful and the timing was bad because prices of basic commodities have been skyrocketing.
Nonetheless tariffs have been adjusted despite public disapproval and decry. The poor and ordinary Gambians who would owe to NAWEC a few thousands of dalasi would be hardly given a second chance and negotiations would often immaterialise whilst the indebted rich and influential individuals and institutions continue to enjoy, most probably, interrupted water and electricity supply at the expense of both NAWEC and ordinary people in Gambia. That is not fair!    
NAWEC’s financial situation is very volatile.  It requires swift and uncompromising action as the life of our own is at stake.
The National Assembly cannot afford to capitulate to the desires of individuals at least for this time around.  As an elected autonomous representative body, it owes its obligation, first and foremost, to the public.
The National Assembly should be reminded that in their world, public interest should ride roughshod over personal interests. In fact that is cardinal. Therefore, it must be observed, once more, at least this time around. Else NAWEC is bound to fall on its knees. And when that happens, neither the government nor the people of The Gambia will be spared by the consequence.