News, Politics

Gambia: Security Reform Is Vital In Our New Democracy – Mai Ahmad Fatty

(JollofNews) – Gambia’s minister of the Interior, Mai Ahmad Fatty, has buttressed the importance of the security reform initiated by Gambia government to overhaul a sector that had been turned by the former regime into an instrument of oppression.

“The security reform is an important part of our new democracy that is about building and keeping peace,” he said in a statement he delivered during the launching of the security sector reform project at State House, Fajara,

The reform comes at a time when the tiny West African nation is enjoying a new democratic dispensation that poses a good number of challenges. The United Nations, ECOWAS, European Union and the African Union have okayed the move taken by Gambian authorities and pledged to support it.

Mai Ahmad Fatty said the new government’s commitment in collaboration with the UNDP indicates that the effort to reform the security sector would proof to be effective in restoring peace and promoting development. But was quick to add: “We are fully aware that this
reform will face multi-problems and challenges.”

The Interior Minsiter took the opportunity to remind the gathering of the role played by the country’s security forces in entrenching Jammeh’s dictatorship under which a lot of people went missing or killed.

“The key security institutions are especially singled out as principal perpetrators of the worst of this state oppression under the single and direct authority of the Yahya Jammeh’s Presidency,” he said.

He then added that some of these institutions continue to “lack the trust and respect of the citizenry.”

“This mistrust run deep and hence the call in many quarters for a total overhaul of the primary security institutions especially and the whole of the security sector in general,” Fatty reiterated.

14 Comments

  1. SECURITY FOR ALL OR INSECURITY FOR ALL. IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT THE GAMBIAN GOVERNMENT PUTS ITS EMPHASIS ON.

    The need for Security is not the issue. No Democractic Dispensation can survive without Tangible Security. The salient questions are: Security for who? By whom? That is, who is providing it? For what purpose or end? The means or methods taken to achieve”Security” is as important as the Security or what is termed Security. The Nature and Scope of the Implementation is as Significant as the Outcome. This is due in part to the fact that if the people who are to benefit from the SAID “Security” do not “buy in” the whole exercise will in time be for Not. There is a tendency for African leaders to Confuse Security with Surpressed Opposition, Anger and Distrust. Security is not the Absence of an Opposition Media, Party or Stronghold of Perceived Political Opponents. It is more the Presence of a feeling of Safety, and General Wellbeing of the Individual and his or her loved ones and property regardless of who they Support, Which Region they live and what ethnic group they belong. It is the Tangible and Practical Experience of the average person (s) and their loved ones, that tomorrow morning will be better than today. That the government will be there for them and their families, friends and neighbors. That the government will provide Reliable Electricity and Water Supply. That the government will provide a Livable and Sustainable Employment, Education, Healthcare and Affordable Housing. Inorder words, Security is not just the Presence of Law Enforcement Officers and Soldiers. If that is the case, Afghanistan, Iraq, Sumalia, South Sudan and Syria would be the most Secured place on Earth. Ok, I know that these are Countries undergoing Civil Strive of one Scale or another. That is precisely my point. The Government and Citizens need to be wary and be very Careful Not to make the mistake many Unstable Countries made. That is, in the name of Security, they ended up with a Militarized Pooulation and Balkanized Countries. Let’s be Security Conscious, but not Security Obessesed and Paradoxically do more harm than good. The type and kind of Security (Alleged threats to the Government from Within and Without), being “hyped” and put out for Public Consumption is Disproportionate to the Reality. On the other hand, the lack of communication, tangible adequate response and emphasis on the Insecurity the average Gambian faces on a Daily basis calls for a Change of Priority while at the same time addressing the Macro level Security. High Crime rates of Murder, Rape, and Property Crimes of recent in the Gambia, is as important and may be even more Concerning to the average Gambian than the one the government is Focused on. If the people are not Secure in their own Neighborhoods, Person or Property, how can the government expect the same people to be the Eyes and Ears of the Government? It is not an EITHER/OR Proposition, where Security is Concerned. It is more of a challenge that needs to be Balanced and always Evaluated for Effectiveness and Outcome. It needs Adjustments and Mitigation as Needed. Above all, the Government needs to Endeavor on its Priorities, Public Service, Delivery of Services, Communication and Public Relations Image. People who are Supporters of the government should feel as a part of the government as those who Support it, especially, in terms of Service Delivery and Security. Gambia is More than the Sum Total of One Ethnic Group or Region.

  2. HYPOCRITE AND LIAR MINISTER,
    Security is important now because you are there as the corrupt, pompous and fat imp minister of interior trying to secure your job. When President Jammeh was there and put all the security apparatuses in place, wasn’t security vital then?
    Look at this plumpy IDIOT who in less than 9 months has become the fat-cheeked pompous minister of the interior from the money looted from our poor people’s coffers.
    When will you hire the services of a company to start issuing ID cards? Or you haven’t met one that would agree to giving you the kickback that you have requested from others in vain?

    • Though he definitely, is miles ahead better than the Mile2-wards ex interior minister, Sonko, at the undergrounds of Switzerland right now, Gambians do expect a lot lot more better of the present minister still.
      I acquiesce with @Buba Sanyang’s long time article that idealized the use of biometrics systems. I think this is a process that needs to be embarked upon by the interior ministry with modern sophisticated equipment, as soon as possible. It is a most ideal security gesture too, that every compound gate or house inhabited by people within settlement or isolated, are numbered and every street, road and passage used within the confines of settlements be named. Up to date census of the population is an utmost priority. Number of Gambians in the diaspora must be precisely probed too.
      All residents holding some kind of a national document must be obliged to be fingerprinted with the right constitutional provisions to guide the process. People, including ECOWAS citizens must not be permanently living in the country unknown to the authorities whilst verification of informations pertaining to such residents must NOT take immigrations authorities to carry out raids or identification exercises within the civil society livelihoods. Border checking-ins and outs without bribe takings by border personel, cannot be compromised. Borderline patrolling must be invested in.

  3. When will these two idiots understand that we Gambians don’t give a hoot to their divisive opinions. Wake up fools from your idiocies.

  4. I think when you hand over security to Private profit making companies, You only achieve an amount of security that is cost effective to the company and not 100% loyal to the flag. The risk is therefore doubled. Another facet of private security is the terms and conditions of the contract, and what are the penalties for Gambia, if it all ends in tears. The safeguard is the contract for both parties and who is gifted enough in such commercial matters to negotiate. With so many commercial offers coming thick and fast, that appear attractive, we know only too well that international private investors are not always the “angels” they seem to be. The pressure up on the Barrow government to produce something commercial to shout about, comes with its own challenges, to prove that the decisions they make today, will not be the sorrows of tomorrow.

  5. Nasty Natty,
    Which Gambians are your idiotically referring to? Those who foolishly side with you or those who genuinely side with us? You are so STUPID to think that all Gambians are Nasty Natty Dread. There are hundreds of thousands Babu Soli. You IDIOT immersed in your fantasy world of discredited illusions. Not every Gambian shares your utopian and sectarian stupidity!

  6. Nasty Natty Dumbo; When will you grow up and stop insulting all and everybody who has a different opinion…Grow up old man.

    • Mike Scales
      Nasty Natty Dread Dumbo as you called me is dumb but when he look around he see another ugly dumb English man. Flip flopping Mike who is conservative by day and liberal by night wants me to be like him. I was brought up to have my own opinions and express them regardless of who likes or dislike them, unlike an English object like you who doesn’t have any opinions on anything except the opinions expressed by others. You are a lap dog Mike, so bark.

    • What a bias umpire you’ve become! Looks like you turn you back on the game when foul is about to be committed in certain courts.
      Ça c’est pas possible mon ami!

  7. Wallahi Bilalli nauh tourah need of talking to fast.To much grease

  8. How much is that doggy in the window ? The one with the waggly tail, woof woof.
    I do hope that doggie’s for sale,,, woof woof.
    Dumbo the elephant packed his trunk and said goodbye to the circus. Off he went with a wiggly wump, trump trump trump.{ My Man }
    Mind yer blood pressure mate.
    Your an abusive foul mouthed psychiatric jerry can.

    • Mike scales
      Wow! What a beautiful nursery poem! Well i had seen that loads of times on the beautiful sandy beaches of the Gambia, retired Englishmen reading love poems to our children, children primed to be violated.
      The difference between you and me is clear…………
      You are trying to blend in, but am already blended. Things are tough Mike. Empire’s objects are befriending their former slaves. What an irony?

  9. Toney gutters stole tail pond sand without licence or informing geology department. I cant wait listening to toney gutters explanation, General badjie egged him on.
    TWO Interesting chattar boxes sofar. The chinese dredge manning engineer with his boss Toney Gutters.
    Is General Badjie still alive?

  10. So that’s what happened? Awe so sorry my sandy bling chief. You put yer your heeed in da kitchen blender and your brains were scrambled. You spending too much time on de beach with dem topless expired old white women…looking for a long dream ? As for dem transilvanian peedo’s I’d give ’em some good old fashion Zulu “magic”. I’d shove a sharp tree trunk up there Jaxy.
    Slaves ??? Nah dat’s bunkum. They run free at de olympics, like a bolt of lightning. Me wid Port of Spain woman… she spoke it true. Me like calypso lady wid slow hand and a easy touch. Me like a woman who can hang around,,,not cum and go in a heated rush.xxx

NEWS LIKE YOU, ON THE GO

GET UPDATE FROM US DIRECT TO YOUR DEVICES