Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, Leader of United Democratic Party has chastised Gambia’s security sector for lacking conducive working conditions, equipment and mobility to effectively carryout their duties as expected.
The UDP Party Leader made this observation at Bakadagi Village in Jimara Constituency the birthplace of President Adama Barrow, where he also warned civil servants supporting the government to behave themselves ahead of the December 4th Presidential election.
“If you think of Bakadagi Police Station, if there is a vehicle it must be a damaged vehicle, if you go to Basse Police Station where the Police commissioner is stationed if there is a vehicle it maybe two very old ones. These securities are the ones responsible for securing our country and ourselves in both days and nights but currently if you visit the Police stations you cannot even have good breadth of air,” Lawyer Darboe lamented deplorable situation of security installations across the country.
He added: “Everywhere is very tight, dirty and filthy even if you set an eye on a police officer you will realised that he/she is doing the job out of desperation. UDP will make sure that the security forces of the country are treated well and adequately catered for in order to carry out their work effectively.”
According to him, once UDP government comes into force the concerns of soldiers at Yundum Barracks relative to lack of toilets will be a thing of the past, adding that the soldiers serving the nation deserves better treatments and incentives to motivate them at work.
“If we say security reform it doesn’t mean enrolling security officers and dump them at one place. When we say security reform, we mean having an efficient security forces who can do their jobs, providing them with logistics, taking care of recruitments and promotions but not the opposite,” Darboe disclosed to jubilant supporters at Bakadagi.
He said UDP government will uplift the standards and living conditions of the security forces be it SIS, Police, Paramilitary or fire and rescue services or other security unit, adding that UDP government will never allow men and women in uniforms to use the service as a means of stepping stone to reach other avenues.
“We don’t want our security outpost to be used as a stepping stone, the security outposts should not be stepping stones. We want to see all the men and women in uniforms to progress through the ranks to become inspectors, commanders, lieutenants in the services but not as a stepping stone to other avenues,” Darboe disclosed.
He expressed delight to UDP party militants in Jimara for their tireless sacrifices in hosting a meeting for the constituency, adding that the leadership of UDP is much grateful to Jimara Chairman and Diaspora for sponsoring the entire program that attracted thousands of Gambians.
He also called on the people of Jimara to join other regions of the country in bringing change to the country in December, adding that the people of Jimara will not regret in joining their fellow nationals in effecting the much-needed change in the country yearns for in December.
The Veteran politician said Basse is prone to political hiccups usually orchestrated by civil servants who supports the government, arguing that UDP will not tolerate any provocation from civil servants on the pretext of supporting the government at the detriment of their supports.
“Before the election a lot of dirty politics will take place in Basse, I know this region politically and this is the time some civil servants who are supporting the government will surface to threaten and intimidate UDP supporters. We will not allow that to happen this year’s especially from those who used to be with us but supporting the government,” Lawyer Darboe warned.
He said UDP government will address keys issues relative health, education, agriculture youth entrepreneurship and tourism and culture, adding that these are areas that needs to be fix immediately UDP takes over after its proposed 8th December 2021, celebration.