Editorial

We wish to join all those who have the progress of this country at heart in congratulating Yankuba Sonko on his appointment as the acting Inspector General of The Gambia Police Force (GPF) and for accepting to take up the challenge. Those who know Yankuba as well as those who have been privileged to work with him know he is the right person for the job.

With over two decades of experience behind him as a police officer, and having risen through the ranks, Yankuba Sonko’s day-to-day engagements speaks volumes of his ever-unchanging loyalty, dedication and commitment to protecting the integrity of the noble institution, standardising it and in the process ensuring the overall development of the country.  We know him to be a person who thinks maturely and acts progressively, with professionalism being his guiding principle. It is undoubtedly these unique qualities that President Jammeh spotted in Sonko; that made him give him the complex job of regularising the police and restoring the institution’s integrity. We believe that if the acting IGP is given the due support and cooperation by all the officers, the Force will be back on its knees and can perfectly execute its mandate of maintaining law and order.

Daily Observer has reliably gathered that the entire GPF were jubilant over the appointment of Yankuba Sonko as their new boss. This clearly demonstrates that all the units within the Force did know Sonko to be a man of virtue, respectful and committed to his job. It also implies that they trust him to be a leader who will guarantee their advancement as a modern police force.

As a local proverb has it, “no matter how fast a horse runs, you still add sticks”. We therefore wish to remind Sonko that he has been given a very huge task of overseeing the affairs of an institution which society places so much hope; the fact that his colleagues rejoiced over his appointment should not throw dust in his eyes to condone indiscipline and unscrupulous acts within the Force; the virtues that brought him to this position should be upheld at all times. He should always realise that the constitutions ordain the institution of the police force to serve as a defensive mechanism for the liberties and dignities of the people.

Policing society in its broadest sense goes far beyond just having the absence of criminals. It encompasses human rights, good governance and ensuring that each individual has opportunities and choices to fulfil his or her own potential, among a host of other issues. Our success as a sovereign state in the course of these 15 years can only be attributed to the enabling environment created by President Jammeh for the enhancement of such a security service, whose mandate revolves around these tenets. Sonko’s mission should be to ensure that the GPF do not depart from these tenets.

 The new IGP should also ensure that discipline becomes the trademark among his men, particularly within the ranks of the Police Intervention Unit (PIU). The overall conduct of the personnel of the PIU has been very unpleasant. While controlling the traffic, they behave in a disrespectful manner towards passengers and drivers; also, when out in town among the people many of them particularly those of junior rank take advantage of their uniform to act as if they are above the law, clearly negating what people expect a good police officer to be: tolerant and understanding.

Ensuring that the PIU becomes a unit that operates in an ethical manner will smoothen the operations of the police and restore peoples’ trust and confidence in the force. The new IGP should also remember what the president said sometime ago while presiding over a military function. "If you wear a uniform, you must be exemplary in discipline." These words apply to all security outfits in the country. . The personnel of the PIU and all other officers who are acting on their own beyond the limits of the law should therefore adjust themselves to the calls of the president by putting behind them all acts that can in one way or the other tarnish the image of the force. We also hope that they will take the advantage of having a man who is virtuous and professional at the helm of affairs to change their conduct for the better.

Daily Observer will be vigilant and will be bringing to the attention of the IGP's office any officer who is abusing his position. We hope that you will appreciate our gesture. We also hope Sonko will continue the cordial relationship that has always existed between the press and the GPF. This will ensure the smooth running of both institutions for the benefit of society.

Once again, we wish Yankuba Sonko all the best in his new appointment and hope that his leadership devote greater attention to improving the conditions of the GPF so that our gallant men and women will continue to strengthen their loyalty to the nation, discipline and conduct of professionalism.