Member of Parliament for Banjul Central
Honourable Abdoulie Njai, Member of Parliament for Banjul Central on Tuesday said the country’s security needs to be looked at, and called it “risky” having foreign soldiers.
“Having foreign security in our own country is very risky. Because looking at the State House, which is a house for every Gambia, it’s almost dominated by foreign soldiers (ECOMIG forces), who now know the in and outside of the State house, which I think is not safe,” he said during Parliament’s debate on the President’s State of the Nation Address 2022.
The Banjul Central MP believes the time is up for the ECOMIG forces to leave and allow home troops to take charge of the country’s security, if there is no security threat.
“I don’t know if there is any security threat that they are not telling (us about). If there is no security threat, then I believe that it’s high time for these foreign soldiers to leave the country now, and allow our own men and women in uniform to take up our security sector now,” he said.
Njai noted that Gambian soldiers are fit to take up the country’s security, describing them “mature, disciplined, and courageous”.
“I don’t see any reason our security forces cannot be utilized. They are mature, disciplined, courageous, and they are internationally respected, as well,” he stressed.
He said the Gambian security demonstrated the highest possible level of maturity during the December 2016 political impasse when the country was between chaos and stability; and that they (soldiers) displayed discipline and maturity in making sure that the citizens are safe.
Hon. Njai is the latest MP to speak against the continuous presence of the ECOMIG forces in the country.
Other parliamentarians who made similar calls during the ongoing parliamentary session include Hon. Almameh Gibba of Foni Kansala and Hon. Lamin Ceesay of Kiang West constituencies.