By Arret Jatta and Fatoumata Konteh
The Office of National Security (ONS), on Wednesday, commenced a two-day training workshop for media personnel, civil society organizations (CSO), and public relations officers (PRO) on its implementing strategy.
The ongoing two-day workshop was funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and is held at the Ocean Bay Hotel at Cape Point, Bakau it is meant to foster effective communication, coordination, collaboration, and partnership to enhance national security with relevant stakeholders.
Colonel Omar B Bojang, Deputy National Security Adviser admitted that the activity is part of the security sector reform process in The Gambia.
“This workshop is the maiden activity, following the validation of the launching of the Office of National Security communication strategy, an important milestone in the ongoing security reform process which started in 2017 by the government of the Gambia. The development of the security strategy came out of the recommendation of the security sector assessment report of 2017”, he said.
He added that the assessment report has made some key recommendations for the security sector.
“To popularize the understanding of the policies and strategies and the wider national security activity, there was a need to develop communication strategies. The communication strategies since among other things to effectively inform and engage diverse stakeholders on the ongoing reform through raising public awareness, building confidence and support,” MrBojang highlighted.
He further stated that the policy aims to provide transparency, trust, and honesty.
Additionally, Colonel Bojang enunciated that the Gambia Police Force now hardly detains suspects beyond the mandatory 72 hours as required by law.
Sainey Ceesay, the head of governance at the UNDP emphasized the need for engagement between stakeholders
“We gather to engage in vital discussions that resonate deeply with the principles of inclusion, participation, and shared responsibility. Inclusion is not just a moral obligation, it is a fundamental component of effective governance and security,” he noted.
He said by including diverse voices in decision-making processes, they enhance their ability to understand and address security challenges.
The opening was followed by a general discussion between participants on how to work together to address security challenges and information sharing.