The deputy speaker of the National Assembly of The Gambia has urged lawmakers to pass laws to fight serious crimes including drug trafficking and illegal trade.

Seedy SK Njie is among MPs attending a security summit in Senegal’s capital, Dakar.

“Parliamentarians should ensure that the rights of the minorities are protected, and laws enacted to fight drug trafficking, illegal trade and other activities that poses threat to peace and security,” Njie told the summit.

“While parliament and government have different roles in security matters, they share the responsibility for keeping a well-functioning security sector. This idea of shared responsibilities also applies to the relation between political and military leaders.

“These two parties should not be regarded as adversaries with opposing goals. On the contrary, they need each other in order to achieve an effective, comprehensive and people-centred security policy,” he added.

According to him, democartic oversight must also include dialogue between political leaders and high-ranking military officials based on trust, open lines of communication and mutual inclusion.

“Such regular exchanges have the important additional advantage that they prevent politicians and military leaders from becoming alienated and thus help consolidate stability.

“As far as parliament is concerned, the debate on security policy should not be a single event but a process developing through all its four phases: development, decision-making, implementation and evaluation. 

“While there should be no interference in the responsibilities of the executive in drawing up and implementing this policy, the process should be as transparent and participatory as possible, allowing a proper balance to be reached between all those exerting any kind of influence on it, including the security sector itself,” he continued.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba