Two top officials from Taiwan’s solar energy giant, Motech, left Banjul last night for Taipei after a four-day working visit to The Gambia.

The two officials, Luke Chang, president of Motech and Mr Tsai, general manager of the Taiwanese energy company, arrived in the country on the blessing of President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, who expressed interest in electrifying provincial Gambia with solar systems, especially in areas where a conventional electricity network is not economically viable.

President Jammeh’s resolve in the drive to transform The Gambia into a city-state was pronounced after his visit to the Motech Company in Taipei during a recent state visit in December, last year.

Shortly after their arrival on Friday, the two officials were escorted to State House, Banjul by the Taiwanese plenipotentiary, Dr Patrick Chang, where they were received by President Jammeh himself, who took them on his dream to transform the country into a city-state with the power of solar energy.

The officials were later hosted to a dinner by Dr Chang at his ambassadorial residence, which was attended by Ousman Jammeh, secretary of state for Energy, Petroleum and Natural Resources, senior officials of the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Gambia Investment Promotion and Free Zone Agency, and the Gambia Renewable Energy Centre.

The two men had met several stakeholders in the country’s energy industry and plans are reportedly underway to install solar power in 50 villages in the country for a start, which is expected to be expanded to cover more areas.