Commissioned by President Jammeh

A newly-built police station in Bansang, Central River Region (CRR), was on Thursday inaugurated by President Jammeh, as part of the itinerary of the Dialogue with the People Tour.

The facility was fully sponsored by Lawyer Momodou Lamin Jobarteh, a leading private legal practioner who is a native of Bansang. The new station is fitted with a number of facilities to ensure condusive working environment, including satellite-backed TV channels.

Officially opening the facility, President Jammeh thanked Lawyer Jobarteh for his foresight, which he said runs to complement government's efforts. He said Lawyer Jobarteh had responded to his call for every Gambian to pitch in nation building, describing him as an icon among Gambian lawyers.

The president also thanked the Bansang Alkalo, Alhaji Kebba Corra, for providing the land for the construction of the facility.

With this standard station, the president challenged officers of the Gambia Police Force to execute their duties as expected of them. He told them to adopt standard procedures in performing their duties, advising them not to serve only as traffic police officers at the detriment of cases reaching the station.

IGP Benedict Jammeh described the facility as magnificient, noting that Jobarteh was not only a true son of Bansang, but a patriotic Gambian.

"Lawyer Jobarteh has demonstrated that this is what one can do for his country rather than waiting for what your country can do for you," said the IGP.

With such gestures from individuals, the police boss believes, the GPF will be saved from the high cost of renting buildings across the country. He maintained the police cannot operate in isolation.

He then called the civil society, especially the business community, to emulate Lawyer Jobarteh's gesture, while thanking the Alkalo for providing the land.

The IGP informed the gathering that the police are fully committed to working with the community, as entailed in the community policing policies, adding it's part of their aim in bringing services to the doorsteps of every citizen. "This ideology is proving very effective in many parts of the country. The police will work hand-in-hand with the communities to reduce crime of all forms," he said.

Yankuba Touray, the secretary of state for Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, showered praises on Lawyer Jobarteh for the initiative.

With such a facility, he continued, the renown private legal practioner has relieved the government of the payment of D35,000 annually as rent for a premises and called on others to emulate him.

For his part, Lawyer Jobarteh believed that every Gambian can contribute to the development of his community. "This was why I initiated the project to build a new police station for my own community," he said.

He informed President Jammeh about two of the wards in Bansang Hospital he had been sponsoring. Lawyer Jobarteh thanked all those who in one way or the other had contributed to the success of project.