Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Prince Almameh James Manga has implored the Gambian Minister of Health to urgently come up with legislations to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic.
ASP Manga, widely know as Top Cop who is adjutant lecturer at the University of The Gambia emphasised the need for an urgent regulation to enable the Gambian law enforcement agencies to carry out their duties without complications during the Coronavirus pandemic which saw Gambia registers its first case last week.
The call came following news that about 14 passengers travelling from the United Kingdom who were quarantined at a particular location forcefully left the premises without authority from the health personnels.
Gambians saw with horror, scenes at the airport where travellers arriving in the country who are subject to quarantine measures to ensure that they do not have the virus, at loggerheads with officials.
Addressing the Health Minister, ASP Manga pleaded:
“A specific regulation is needed urgently!!
Going forward, I wish to implore on the Minister of Health to come up with regulations with immediate effect. He must work very closely and immediately with the Ministry of Justice on this.
The basis for such regulations bothers on sections 5 and 6 of the Quarantine Act Vol 6 Cap 40:03 which empowers the Minister to formulate appropriate regulations to deal with a crisis situation such as the Coronavirus.
Paragraphs (a) to (f) of Section 5 of the Quarantine Act are detailed enough to provide a leeway for the formulation of such regulations which can either be put before Parliament for endorsement or through an executive pronouncement which will then have to be quickly gazetted following the due process. Of course, I do know that there are other regulations to the main quarantine Act. However, such regulations are not specific hence the need to come up with a specific regulations urgently.”
Further buttressing points raised in his appeal, Manga continued:
“Such regulations would have to be complied with and failure of which amounts to an offence under section 6 of the Quarantine Act. Section 6 states that no one is allowed to contravene any regulation made by the Minister for the reasons of fighting or preventing a disease from entering the country.
If such is not done, then it might complicate the job of the Law enforcement in this country.
These are extraordinary times and no one should be asleep. It’s clearly doable and it must be done immediately. Mr Minister please consult your Legal Team to get to work soonest.”