The Defence Ministry through its chief, Sheikh Omar Faye, has assured the commitment of the army in response to coronavirus crisis in the country.
The Ministry’s assurance comes barely a day after the government has announced that the army may be used to support the civil authorities in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Fellow Gambians and all those residents in the Gambia, during these unprecedented times in which our great country finds itself, and under the direction of our military’s Commander-in-Chief, His Excellency Adama Barrow, I wish to assure all citizens and all those residents in The Gambia of the Gambia Armed Forces’ commitment to work in support of all civilian authorities charged with leading the country’s multi-agency response to the Covid-19 crisis,” the Ministry said in a statement.
The statement added: “During this newly declared state of public emergency, and under the leadership of our Commander-in-Chief, our Chief of Defence Staff Major General Yakuba Drammeh and his team stands prepared to step up to the plate and support all civilian agencies and emergency services in ways which best suit a coordinated national response to the crisis. The Gambia’s armed forces stand ready to operate under section 187 (1) (b) of the country’s Constitution to undertake military assistance to the civilian authorities across regional and local levels of government. We wish to assure all citizens that our servicemen and women are well- trained in this area.”
“As our prayers remain with those whose health has already become impacted by the pandemic, and the families who have lost loved ones, we support the efforts of our government to deploy all
national resources under the direction of the civilian authorities to keep the country safe and strong. Defending and protecting our nation and people from the current challenges requires a solid and unwavering partnership between those who serve at the front line and those who benefit from these services.”
The Defence Ministry urged both Gambians and non-Gambians to adhere to the current emergency regulations – to respect curfew guidelines, wear masks and demonstrate ongoing respect for the rule of law.
The Ministry also appealed to Gambians and all those residing in The Gambia ‘to remain steadfast, stay at home and help our armed forces and all emergency services to protect the interests of all of us.’
