By: Nyima Sillah
The leader of the Gambia Action Party (GAP) has contended that the recently-launched National Defense Policy cannot supplant the Security Sector Reform(SSR) agenda.
To GAP leader Babucarr Bayo, the maiden defense policy could be seen by President Adama Barrow as a useful addition to his toolbox to impress Gambians.
The Gambian leader last week launched the country’s maiden defense policy and Mr. Barrow described the development as a watershed moment in the Gambia’s march towards a reformed security sector after a painful past.
But GAP’s Bayo said President Barrow could use the launch of the defense policy as political capital to whitewash the failings of the reform agenda.
He pointed out that the new policy cannot be a substitute for the “long-awaited” SSR and accused the President of ditching SRR for the new defense policy.
Bayo explained that security sector reform was one of the key issues that the President campaigned on in 2016.
He told this medium that politicians and members of CSOs have been keenly following the implementation of the reform agenda.
The GAP leader argued that SSR is long overdue, considering the commitments made by the President to foster a vigorous governance architecture since heassumed office.
“President Barrow is not expected to go around the issue of the SSR but rather to face it squarely, which is not a myopic subject approach,” he commented.
“The Gambian people are urging you as President of the Republic of The Gambia to take the agenda of this nation seriously as you are entrusted with the mantle of leadership as a mandate to preside over the affairs of state,”Bayo stated.