By: Nyima Sillah
Dodou Jah, the deputy spokesperson for APRC said security sector reform, youth unemployment, abuse of drugs and alcohol, coupled with lack of understanding when it comes to democracy are all factors that lead to the insecurity of the country.
In a recent interview with The Voice, Mr Jah said the key to the insecurity of the country is the security sector reform, which is with the belief that it was supposed to take place sooner than expected but that wasn’t the case.
“This has led to our security personnel especially the military who has been sidelined and that has also caused the over stay of the ECOMIG Forces.
“The role and the task that they are occupying or taking responsibility or soldiering could have gone to our security personnel, the sons and daughters of this country but that is not the case.
“So the security sector reform is one of the key reasons why insecurity is definitely on the increase as far as the country is concerned,” he argued.
In his other reasons, he said lack of job or employment is also responsible for insecurity. Adding that most of the youth are complaining that jobs are scarce in this country and there isn’t much hope given to them that it will be created soon
“This has also led to the surge of crimes in the country and of recent, we have heard about some drugs come in the form of pills which many youths are engaging in,” he disclosed.
Mr Jah went on to say that abuse of alcohol is also another factor which “most of the youth are always intoxicated and it is leading them into hideous crimes that are affecting people in this country.”
More so, he explained that a lack of understanding when it comes to democracy is also another reason for insecurity. “There are people who believe democracy to be that you are free to do whatever you choose which is a very wrong concept. Some of the misconceptions about democracy need to be clarified so that people would be law-abiding.
“Civic education is also very key, educating the masses about what our law says and what are the penalties for people complaining about these laws,” he said.