Interior Minister Mballow Discloses Arrival Of 3,007 Returnees Since 2017

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Interior Minister Ebrima Mballow

By: Kebba AF Touray

Interior Minister Ebrima Mballow has told deputies at the National Assembly that a total of 3,007 returnees have been received from 2017 to January 2019.

Mballow who appeared before deputies at the National Assembly, was responding to a question raised by Matarr Jeng, the National Assembly member for Lower Nuimi. M’ballow said the returnees who have been received came from Libya, Niger, and other countries.

Responding to Foday NM Drammeh, the Member for Tumana on the number of road accidents in URR, Mballow responded that a total of 102 road accidents occurred in URR from the year 2016 to 2018, the causes of which he said was recklessness on the part of drivers and pedestrians, insufficient break systems, and stray animals.

“The required documents for the issuance of a passport is a biometric national identity card, as it proves that you already possess a birth certificate,” was Mballow’s response to Hon. Fatoumata K Jawara’s question, the Member for Tallinding constituency who enquired about the documents needed to get a Gambian passport.

Jawara further asked as to what plans the Ministry of the Interior has in creating a Police Academy. In response, Mballow said the Gambia Police Force (GPF), has submitted a sketch plan for a standard police academy that can accommodate all the training needs of the line departments of the GPF, under the Ministry of Interior.

“The planned budget is for the long term collaboration between the GPF and the German Police Support Team’s (GPST) training School project at Yundum. It is estimated that the refurbished PTS will accommodate approximately 300 trainees and instructors upon completion. Work is expected to start when the German Government disburses the funds for the project,” he concludes.