By Fatou Sillah
The Ministry of Interior has issued a statement calling for the registration of all unlicensed private security companies operating in The Gambia.
“It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Interior that some unregistered Private Security Companies in The Gambia have started covering musical events and other social gatherings at various locations across the country. The attention of the public is hereby drawn to Section 5, subsection B of the Private Security Companies Act 2011, which states that a company shall not carry out a licensable conduct unless it has been granted a license by the Minister of Interior in accordance with this Act,” the statement reads.
The Interior Ministry further stated that Section 16 of the same Act states that:
“a company shall not employ a person as a Private Guard unless a certificate of approval has been granted to him or her by the Minister of Interior.”
The Ministry said in addition, Section 23 of the Act states that “a Private Guard shall not use a Uniform, Cap, Badge, or other identification marks unless an application for approval is made to the Minister of Interior.”
“In view of the above, this Ministry hereby calls on all those involved in such unlawful activities to stop with immediate effect and follow the legal procedure of registering a Private Security Company. Anyone caught in this illegal activity will be dealt with in accordance with the law. The general public’s cooperation is highly solicited,” the statement concludes
The Interior Ministry made these remarks in a statement obtained by this medium.