The Inspector General of The Gambia Police Force, Ensa Badjie, has revealed that the police will in 2010, introduce a new licence renewal scheme for drivers in the country.

This new scheme, which will be the first of its kind to be introduced in the country, will exempt government employed drivers including the security apparatus. The police chief was speaking to journalists recently at the scene of the recent fatal accident in Nyambai Forest, along the Brikama-Serrekunda highway, during an inspection and identification tour of the new picking and dropping points for drivers along the said highway. The police chief's declaration came hard on the heels of the alarming road accidents in the country in recent times, which have resulted to the unnecessary loss of lives.

According to him, he will make sure that all drivers  are tested again before any renewal of licence. "If you fail that test, the testing officer will not certificate you and the licensing officer will not renew your licence. Apart from government drivers , commercial and private drivers must undergo this test, and if they pass it, their licences will be renewed," said IGP Badjie. He then clearly stated that this scheme is not applicable to fresh applicants as they would go through the normal procedures.

New strategy
Due to the escalating road accidents in recent times, Inspector General Badjie said he deemed it prudent to initiate the strategy of instituting picking and dropping points for drivers with a view of ensuring free flow of vehicles on the highway, thereby averting chances of accidents. "It is my duty and obligation to serve the Gambian people; therefore, I should not sit and wait to be told what to do. We have identified certain areas within the Greater Banjul Area and beyond as picking points, and God willing, they will be mounted by the police traffic officers 24 hours round the clock," he said.

According to him, soon, these picking points will be highlighted on the identified highways, warning that any driver, who picks passengers at an unidentified picking point will be dealt with accordingly. "Let them realize that there are picking points and that the areas identified are unanimously agreed by the police, The Gambia Roads Authority and The Gambia National Transport Control Association, as ideal points for picking," he said. He then warned that these places identified are also no packing places.

Warning to drivers
To the drivers, IGP Badjie warned them to desist from violating the laws governing driving. "Some of the drivers in this country get drunk and smoke cannabis before driving. As a result, they tend to lose sight of the fact that if the lives of the passengers onboard perished, no one can resurrect them," he said. The police boss called on the drivers to desist from  the habbit of parking vehicles on the pavements, noting that they are not parking areas.