By Nyima Sillah
DCAF in collaboration with the Gambia Immigration Department (GID), on Wednesday, held a national consultation forum to review findings and validate recommendations to reform the current immigration Act 1965 to draft a new immigration bill.
The two days forum was held at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Conference center.
Delivering a statement, Ken Isaac of the DCAF’s Head Office said “The project will deliver an effective oversight mechanism that will ensure accountable security sector under democratic control with respect for human rights and fundamental principles, good governance, and most importantly, gender mainstreaming.
“It will also ensure leadership skills are maximized to enhance performance by effectively utilizing resources, a comprehensive legal framework, and policies governing the institution,” he said.
The act would cultivate an effective, robust, professional, apolitical, accountable, transparent, and responsive sector in line with international best practices, he disclosed. He added that it will also prepare a foundation to introduce other areas of reform, including coordination and intelligence sharing by security institutions.
“The Gambia faces several challenges in governance for the security institution starting from outdated laws to critical gaps in operating practices. This two-day national consultation on the reform of the immigration act 1965, and its code of conduct is a forum to hear voices, and once consolidated, the drafters of a new immigration bill, will have all the tools and resources available to achieve a solid and compliant first draft bill,” he said.
Remarking on behalf of the Minister, Ismaila Danso, DPS Ministry of Interior said the two days of the national consultation on the reform of the immigration Act 1965, its code of conduct, and performance management of the security institutions under the Ministry’s purview will go a long way in making them more effective and efficient in their role.
DPS said the objective of the reform was identified as addressing the gaps, deficiencies, and challenges faced by the security with the view to restructure and cultivate an effective, professional, apolitical sector in governing the legal framework of the Gambia Immigration Department.
On his part, Seedy M. Touray, Director General GID, also added that “The inputs to be generated from this consultation, when passed into law, will enhance the structural operation and organization of GID, expand its scope of responsibility, and provide for its establishments, roles and responsibilities, powers and functions. It would also cater to the immigration and security need of the Gambian populace and non-citizens alike.”
