{"id":18757,"date":"2024-05-21T10:20:08","date_gmt":"2024-05-21T09:20:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/?p=18757"},"modified":"2024-05-21T10:20:12","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T09:20:12","slug":"parody-account-of-gambias-water-company-nawec-shares-false-messages-on-x","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/parody-account-of-gambias-water-company-nawec-shares-false-messages-on-x\/","title":{"rendered":"Parody account of Gambia\u2019s water company, NAWEC, shares false messages on X"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Claim<\/strong>: An X user has alleged that the Gambia\u2019s National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) limited supply to residents in the first week of May 2024 to \u201cimpress\u201d visitors attending the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Verdict<\/strong>: This is false. DUBAWA\u2019s checks have revealed that NAWEC did not make the claim attributed to the company. Rather, a parody account on X (formerly Twitter) put out the message. The water company has, however, advised Gambians to disregard any message shared by the parody account. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full Text<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Gambia hosted the 15th Islamic Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) from May 4 to 5, 2018. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the lead-up to the programme, The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) released a statement on May 3, 2023, assuring delegates of the OIC member states of their commitment and readiness to \u201cprovide excellent services to guests throughout their stay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the statement, NAWEC said<\/a>:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn preparation for this significant occasion, we have dedicated ourselves to ensuring that every facet of your visit is both comfortable and seamless. From the crystal-clear waters that grace our taps to the reliable electricity that illuminates our streets, NAWEC stands as a beacon of infrastructural prowess.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The statement came days after citizens in many parts of the country experienced acute water shortages and problems with electricity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some Gambians took to social media to express their displeasure with the NAWEC\u2019s statement regarding the limited water and electricity supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An X user, Muhammed Ceesay wrote<\/a>:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNAWECC, for the past weeks [those of] us at Sinchu Alagie [had] access to water around 3 am to 5 am only. Electricity is now a jumping light during these heat waves. As a responsible utility supply your focus should be on both the visitors and the citizens. You cannot make us suffer like this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another X user, Cherno O. Bah said<\/a>:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd congratulations for putting us in the dark. We’ve also seen your incompetence, and you deserve to be commended for that Bravo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riding on the back of the challenge faced by Gambians, a parody NAWEC account on X said water and electricity supply to the citizens was limited because of the need to \u201cimpress\u201d visitors attending the Islamic summit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A screenshot of the post by the parody account<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are not firing anyone\u2026if we don\u2019t impress delegates what do you expect us to do?\u201d the parody X account retorted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DUBAWA decided to investigate the claim because of the interest it has generated on social media in the West African country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Verification<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In investigating the claim, DUBAWA first found a disclaimer from NAWEC dissociating the institution from the content of the statement purported to have been issued by them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reacting to the message shared by what appears to be a parody account on X, NAWEC cautioned Gambians<\/a> to desist from engaging with the \u201cimposter account\u201d that is \u201cfalsely purporting affiliation with NAWEC.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe wish to bring to your attention that the account \u201c@Uncle_Babou\u201d is NOT associated with NAWEC,\u201d the water company said in a statement released on May 5, 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A screenshot of the press release issued by NAWEC in response to the parody account<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, data available on X showed that the parody account had been deleted after several reports were filed against the managers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DUBAWA later conducted a Google keyword search to find out if any reputable media organisation in Gambia had published news reports about the purported NAWEC claim. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is also no evidence anywhere to suggest that NAWEC said it limited water and electricity supply to Gambians because it wanted to \u201cimpress\u201d the visitors who participated in the Islamic summit in the first week of May 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, NAWEC had announced an impending load-shedding due to the OIC summit<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn response to the ongoing Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit and the increased demand for electricity in the summit area and surrounding hotels, NAWEC (National Water and Electricity Company) regrets to inform you that load-shedding measures are being implemented,\u201d NAWEC said in a statement shared on its Facebook with an attached load-shedding timetable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

DUBAWA\u2019s findings showed that the statement that claimed NAWEC limited water and electricity supply to Gambians to \u201cimpress\u201d the delegates from member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation is not true.  NAWEC issued no such statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame Karikari Fellowship, in partnership with PTV GAMBIA, to facilitate the spirit of \u201ctruth\u201d in journalism and enhance media literacy.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Claim: An X user has alleged that the Gambia\u2019s National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) limited supply to residents in the first week of May 2024 to \u201cimpress\u201d visitors attending the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in the country. Verdict: This is false. DUBAWA\u2019s checks have revealed that NAWEC did not make the claim attributed to the company. Rather, a parody account on X (formerly Twitter) put out the message. The water company has, however, advised Gambians to disregard any message shared by the parody account.  Full Text The Gambia hosted the 15th Islamic Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) from May 4 to 5, 2018.  In the lead-up to the programme, The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) released a statement on May 3, 2023, assuring delegates of the OIC member states of their commitment and readiness to \u201cprovide excellent services to guests throughout their stay.\u201d In the statement, NAWEC said:\u00a0 \u201cIn preparation for this significant occasion, we have dedicated ourselves to ensuring that every facet of your visit is both comfortable and seamless. From the crystal-clear waters that grace our taps to the reliable electricity that illuminates our streets, NAWEC stands as a beacon of infrastructural prowess.\u201d The statement came days after citizens in many parts of the country experienced acute water shortages and problems with electricity.  Some Gambians took to social media to express their displeasure with the NAWEC\u2019s statement regarding the limited water and electricity supply. An X user, Muhammed Ceesay wrote:\u00a0 \u201cNAWECC, for the past weeks [those of] us at Sinchu Alagie [had] access to water around 3 am to 5 am only. Electricity is now a jumping light during these heat waves. As a responsible utility supply your focus should be on both the visitors and the citizens. You cannot make us suffer like this.\u201d Another X user, Cherno O. Bah said:\u00a0 \u201cAnd congratulations for putting us in the dark. We’ve also seen your incompetence, and you deserve to be commended for that Bravo.\u201d Riding on the back of the challenge faced by Gambians, a parody NAWEC account on X said water and electricity supply to the citizens was limited because of the need to \u201cimpress\u201d visitors attending the Islamic summit. A screenshot of the post by the parody account \u201cWe are not firing anyone\u2026if we don\u2019t impress delegates what do you expect us to do?\u201d the parody X account retorted. DUBAWA decided to investigate the claim because of the interest it has generated on social media in the West African country. Verification In investigating the claim, DUBAWA first found a disclaimer from NAWEC dissociating the institution from the content of the statement purported to have been issued by them. Reacting to the message shared by what appears to be a parody account on X, NAWEC cautioned Gambians to desist from engaging with the \u201cimposter account\u201d that is \u201cfalsely purporting affiliation with NAWEC.\u201d \u201cWe wish to bring to your attention that the account \u201c@Uncle_Babou\u201d is NOT associated with NAWEC,\u201d the water company said in a statement released on May 5, 2024. A screenshot of the press release issued by NAWEC in response to the parody account Also, data available on X showed that the parody account had been deleted after several reports were filed against the managers. DUBAWA later conducted a Google keyword search to find out if any reputable media organisation in Gambia had published news reports about the purported NAWEC claim.  There is also no evidence anywhere to suggest that NAWEC said it limited water and electricity supply to Gambians because it wanted to \u201cimpress\u201d the visitors who participated in the Islamic summit in the first week of May 2024. However, NAWEC had announced an impending load-shedding due to the OIC summit. \u201cIn response to the ongoing Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit and the increased demand for electricity in the summit area and surrounding hotels, NAWEC (National Water and Electricity Company) regrets to inform you that load-shedding measures are being implemented,\u201d NAWEC said in a statement shared on its Facebook with an attached load-shedding timetable. Conclusion DUBAWA\u2019s findings showed that the statement that claimed NAWEC limited water and electricity supply to Gambians to \u201cimpress\u201d the delegates from member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation is not true.  NAWEC issued no such statement. The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame Karikari Fellowship, in partnership with PTV GAMBIA, to facilitate the spirit of \u201ctruth\u201d in journalism and enhance media literacy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18758,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"hannibal_claim_source":"","hannibal_source_label":"","hannibal_card_color":"blue","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_bluesky_share_type":"","_mastodon_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[437,1571,2815],"tags":[],"verdict":[],"ppma_author":[4147],"class_list":["post-18757","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-facebook-checks","category-fact-check","category-the-gambia"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8R6dE-4Sx","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":4147,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"aja-fatou-drammeh","display_name":"Aja Fatou Drammeh","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&r=g","author_category":"","user_url":"","last_name":"","first_name":"","job_title":"","description":""}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Gambians-demand-that-NAWEC-work-on-its-service-delivery-to-the-general-public.-Photo-credit-The-Point-.jpg?fit=512%2C377&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18757","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18757"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18757\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18759,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18757\/revisions\/18759"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18758"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18757"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18757"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18757"},{"taxonomy":"verdict","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/verdict?post=18757"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=18757"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}