During the discourse, participants highlighted the harsh realities, challenges they are faced with and also mapped out the way forward in ensuring that their community is rid of ebola and other related security threat.
After the deliberations, CGG Programme Manager Marcella Samba-Sesay noted that it is good that the ONS is here to have a first hand information about what’s happening in this border community.
However, she said “there are particular issues which are key interest to us, especially so the deployment of police officers across the border areas.”
Mrs. Samba-Sesay said, “It is [heartrending] to know that there are only four police personnel’s deployed in this area.”
“The representation of all the other government institutions could be felt except that of the police and they are the ones who have primacy in this area.”
However, “this is a concern to us; we have good relationship with the Sierra Leone Police and this is an issue we are going to have to look into.”
She stressed, “This engagement won’t stop here,” noting that on behalf of her Director Valnora Edwin “we intend to work on these recommendation you’ve [proffered], since the key pillars we are working on are justice, security and human rights.”
“You can recall after the war during the post conflict reconstruction we went through out the country building civil military relationship, however this has been lacking over the years and they intend to build it again.”
While donating food and other items to aid in the fight against ebola, Mrs. Samba-Sesay said this does not mean our border officials are lacking food or starving, however, the gesture connotes that “in the fight against ebola integrity is better than being well fed.”
She advised them not to allow their ego for self-benefit to compromise their standard operating procedures and integrity because if they compromise their duties and allow ebola infected to cross through our borders, it is going to boomerang back to us, and our communities.
The CGG Programme Director also highlighted that they must pay special attention to the plastic buckets because they’ve observed that the buckets have started disappearing. “Even when ebola ends we are recommending that these buckets remain because proper sanitation and health is still a serious concern.” She appealed, “Please! Let these buckets do not disappear these buckets must go to the various border entering points so that whenever someone is crossing our border in or out they must wash their hands.”
She noted that the thermometers presented to them are to ensure that the temperature check continues noting “we must not rest until ebola recedes to zero.”
In his presentation on security sector civil relationship, the Director of Provincial and Border Security Department, Office of National Security (ONS), John Rogers highlighted the various security sector institutions and their functions.
However, he noted that these institutions are faced with numerous challenges such as negative public perceptions about their modus operandi Gaps in information flow and limited resources support to programmes. However, the Office of National Security Director Research and Planning, Francis Keili explained about standard operating procedures and the management of joint check points.
By: awoko.org
