By Yusupha Jobe
The Leader of Gambia Moral Congress (GMC) has stated that every Gambian citizen has the right to return into country despite the ongoing border closure amid Covid-19 pandemic.
Mai Ahmed Fatty, in a message written on his Facebook page following his recent return from travel stated that the right to return home for a Gambian national cannot be violated by any law, as the borders can legally be closed from entry to only non-citizens.
“For those who may not know, the right to return home for a Gambian national cannot be violated by any law, meaning borders can legally be closed from entry to only non-Gambians. Gambians nationals have the right to enter the country at any time, and so the border closure is not absolute in law. This applies to most countries of the world,” he wrote.
He continued that his going into self-quarantine shortly after returning from a trip was necessitated to follow and respect the Ministry of Health mandatory quarantine regulations for any person retuning into the country.
“My going into quarantine is for my protection and the protection of the public. The community will be fully assured. This is the responsible thing to do. I have consented to subject myself to close supervision by the health authorities during the period.
“All new arrivals into the country must subdue to public health rules as established. In compliance with the public health regulations and in coordination with personnel of the department of health I will go into immediate quarantine,” the former Minister of Interior posted.
In this critical period, he wrote “I shall be with all of you in spirit, and together, we shall emerge stronger, wiser and smarter out of this pandemic. We must continue to support the Ministry of Health and the frontline workers, and to also heed to the public health advisory to protect ourselves from contracting the pandemic.”
