By Adama Makasuba
Shiekh Omar Faye, minister of defence, has told the national assembly members to increase the budget of the Gambia Armed Forces adding the forces are faced with logistical problems to ensure absolute security within the country.
Answering questions from lawmakers, Mr Faye said the nation’s soldiers are ready and committed to providing security but added they are faced with logistical issues in doing their job as expected in the country.
The other question raised is that the Gambia Armed Forces are ready to take over the sovereignty and integrity to protect this country. We need the budget, we need the resources. The logistics are not enough. The men are there. They are willing to do it but it is very expensive and this national assembly knows about it,” Minister Faye told national assembly members.
“Our men and women are ready but it is very difficult. The budget has been slashed here and there for obvious reasons. But I can tell you it is not easy to police every kilometre of this country simply because we don’t have the manpower,” he added.
He emphasised that the men and women in uniforms are dispatched to conduct routine patrolling to ensure the country gets security, but added that more logistics are needed to fulfill the constitutional mandates of the security services of the country.
Meanwhile, he said the Brikama range is undergoing renovation as they are also planning to build a military hospital.
However, he said he has visited the affected families in Foni by January clashes between MFDC rebels and Senegalese soldiers under Ecowas, saying things have gone back to normalcy.
“A report has been handed over to the executive after the task force the president [Adama Barrow] formed,” he said.