By Binta Jaiteh
The National Assembly member for Kiang West Constituency, Honourable Lamin Ceesay yesterday urged the Minister of Defense Serign Modou Njie to furnish the Parliament with strategies the Ministry will use to minimize rampant killings in the country.
According to Honourable Ceesay, with all the progress made in the reform of the security sector, still there is no change made to minimize the situation. His assertion came up during questions for oral answers between the members and Ministers.
Responding to the question raised, the Minister replied that, this are internal security challenge and the security agencies are doing their utmost best to curb the increase in crime rate.
“We must applaud the work of security (and remember) that security is a cross-cutting issue and the government will continue to work with the citizens of this country to fight against crime,” the Minister of Defense stated.
Honourable Amadou Camara, a member of Nianija also asked the Minister if he is aware of perpetrators who descend in Gambia to attack.
The Minister responded and said the police have arrested some of the culprits linked to armed robbery and the report will be revealed if they are within or outside the country.
Lawmaker for Banjul Central, Honourable Abdoulie Njielamented organized crime saying with organized crime and rampant killings on the rise, he tasked the Minister to update the Assembly on the ministry’s progress towards the realization of the security sector reform and why the delay in these reform processes.
He added that even with the provision of the Security sector reform still the country continues to face rampant killings.
According to the Minister, the coordination and the implementation of the ongoing security sector reform process is under the office of the National Security headed by the National Security Adviser.
He quickly reminded the lawmakers that it is important to note the significant achievements and progress that have been registered in the SSR process since 2017, especially in the area of capacity building.
He explained that on the side of defense, the sector has been limited to its constitutional mandate which is to preserve, present, and protect the territorial integrity of the country.
However, the government has committed a lot of funding to make sure that the SSRP is implemented, he stated.