The Honorable Minister of Interior, Yankuba JN. Sonko, has recently appeared at the National Assembly to give update about his ministry and line agencies’ operations, as well as answer questions.
In response to the question about measures put in place to mitigate, stop the use and possession and trafficking of cannabis in the country, Minister Sonko said that his Ministry has designed and implemented strategies to address the disturbing surge of cannabis abuse and trafficking; which include supply suppression as well as demand reduction through public sensitization and the formulation of an elaborated National Drug Control Strategy (2019-2023) to overhaul the Drug Control Act. In line with international standards and best practices, he intimated, there are plans to use non-custodial sentencing measures which include counselling to be provided to first- and second-time offenders in cannabis possession cases.
He further informed parliamentarians that his Ministry has upgraded the Drug Demand Reduction Unit of the DLEAG to a directorate and has implemented robust and accelerated public sensitisation activities which mainly targeted the youth; hence they constitute majority of the victims. He went on to say that series of school outreach activities; such as symposia, drama, debate and quiz, were conducted in schools across the country alongside the establishment of anti-drug clubs in several schools. “To cover the entire population of The Gambia, community outreach programmes were conducted targeting traditional and opinion leaders, youth and women groups as well as radio sensitisation programmes currently ongoing”.
The Minister further informed the members of the National Assembly that for the purpose of sub-regional cooperation, DLEAG signed a memorandum of understanding with their counterparts in Senegal in October 2018 and Guinea Bissau in July 2019 to strengthen sub-regional cooperation in drug interdiction and nurturing interoperability among the law enforcement officers of the three countries.
He added that plans and negotiations are ongoing for the construction of a rehabilitation centre to cater for the needs of drug abusers. This, he noted, will complement efforts already made to reduce the demand, since victims will have access to various support services to facilitate their reform. He therefore, urged the members of the National Assembly to approve the requisite funds for the actualisation of this initiative.
Concerning the issue of limiting road accidents, Sonko informed the parliamentarians that significant progress has been registered in limiting road accidents in the country. He said his Ministry through the Office of the Inspector General of Police is working hard to reduce road traffic accidents through the implementation of effective mechanisms; such as the placement of traffic cones to serve as indicators for speed limits at bent junctions and the increased number of police presence on the main roads to ensure the safety of road users.
As part of the mitigating strategies of the Ministry, he went on, there are ongoing radio and public sensitisation on road safety for drivers, pedestrians and other road users as well as the installation of CCTV cameras at strategic places to record road traffic offences. He added that his Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure (MOTWI) had established a National Committee on Road Safety at (MOTWI) with the aim of coordinating road safety initiatives. He assured the parliamentarians that his Ministry will continue to engage with The National Roads Authority (NRA) on the construction of sleeping police, erection of road signs and marking of roads.
On the enforcement of COVID-19 emergency regulation regarding the social distancing in markets and surroundings, the Interior Minister informed the members that his Ministry in collaboration with the councils are engaged in enforcing the opening and closing hours of the commercial shops within the community and markets centres. However, he said that the enforcement was faced with numerous challenges including inadequate resources such as equipment, mobility among other operational logistics towards effective response to COVID-19 regulations.
Further in his deliberation, the Minister intimated that his departments among other institutions collectively participated in enforcing border regulations that constitutes detection, deterrence and apprehension of prohibited migrants as well as perpetrators of transnational organised crimes such as human trafficking and smuggling during intense COVID-19 response exercise.
Highlighting the achievements registered by the Ministry and its line institutions and partners in the fight against COVID-19, Minister Sonko stated that regular joint-border patrols between March to date across the country was really strengthened and constant, as 55 vehicles and 48 motorbikes were impounded, 856 persons were intercepted and 721 of them were refused entry, while 95 people were facilitated for quarantine. He said that traffic offenses administered, prosecuted and fined number to 81 drivers within the KMC and WCR regions as a result of violating Public Transport Emergency Power Regulation. Additionally, he said the Ministry, through the efforts of its line departments registered 46 convicts with a total fine of D438,900.00.
The minister went on to answer questions around ID cards, investigation of cocaine found in a sugar container on the 27th July 2019, and the Ministry’s efforts to bring to justice Buba Drammeh of Gunjur who shot and killed Buba K. Jammeh in his orchard in Gunjur, among others.