By: Kebba Ansu Manneh
Following reports of growing insecurity in the Gambia with news of armed robbery cases and the recent killing of a Forex Bureau staff in West Field, Sam Ceesay, founder of Solutions for the Gambia and a leading Human Rights Advocate, has called on all financial institutions in the country to prioritize the safety and security of their staff by installing CCTV cameras to prevent the reoccurrence of armed robbery cases in the country.
He spoke with TAT in an interview and advised that employees of all financial enterprises must also prioritize and value their lives more than anything else during robbery operations.
“The safety of staff and employees must be a priority for all forex bureaus and gas filling stations. With the view to safe lives and properties, employees of these financial enterprises must not be left alone but provided with adequate security for a safe working environment,” Sam Ceesay, Founder of Solutions For Gambia, observed.
He added: “To avert the loss of lives and properties, financial enterprises need to hire security contractors and install CCTV cameras in all their offices. The mere presence of security officers and CCTV cameras will be a preventative measure and a deterrent for armed robbers.”
According to him, no amount of money is worth an employee’s life in the event of armed robbery operations by robbers, arguing that staff and employees of financial enterprises must prioritize and value their lives more than the money armed robbers are looking for.
“Employees of all financial enterprises, including forex bureaus and gas filling stations, must prioritize and value their lives more than the money armed robbers seek at their offices. No amount of money is worth the lives of a human being; thus, employees of these financial enterprises must always cooperate with robbers to secure their lives,” the founder of Solutions For Gambia advised.
He added: “Employees must be vigilant in case of armed robbery as robbers are always eager to strike as fast as possible. Once you save your life, you ensure that all evidence is protected before calling the police for any possible investigation.”
According to him, armed robbers have only two options in their minds, which are the risks and gains associated with operations, noting that murder is not part of the plans of armed robbers except in circumstances where resistance comes from employees they come across during operations.
He advises Forex bureau owners and gas filling station operators to create a safe environment for their employees that will deter armed robbers from accessing cash vaults. He adds that employees must also refrain from allowing customers into their offices, no matter their relationships with them.
He also called on the government to empower state security forces to carry out their work effectively through routine patrolling, adding that this will go a long way to keeping robbers and criminals at bay and thus preventing crimes in the country.
