Posted by 
THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT STATE HOUSE, BANJUL
MD/C/5023 TEMP (74) 06 August 2020
Fellow Gambians and all those resident in the Gambia,
During these unprecedented times in which our great country finds itself, and under the direction of our military’s Commander-in-Chief, His Excellency Adama Barrow, I wish to assure all citizens and all those resident in the Gambia of the Gambia Armed Forces’ commitment to work in support of all civilian authorities charged with leading the country’s multi-agency response to the Covid-19 crisis.
During this newly declared state of public emergency, and under the leadership of our Commander-in-Chief, our Chief of Defence Staff Major General Yakuba Drammeh and his team stands prepared to step up to the plate and support all civilian agencies and emergency services in ways which best suit a coordinated national response to the crisis.
The Gambia’s armed forces stand ready to operate under section 187 (1) (b) of the country’s Constitution to undertake military assistance to the civilian authorities across regional and local levels of government. We wish to assure all citizens that our servicemen and women are well- trained in this area.
As our prayers remain with those whose health has already become impacted by the pandemic, and the families who have lost loved ones, we support the efforts of our government to deploy all national resources under the direction of the civilian authorities to keep the country safe and strong. Defending and protecting our nation and people from the current challenges requires a solid and unwavering partnership between those who serve at the front line and those who benefit from these services. In this context, we call on all Gambians and all those resident in the Gambia to do everything possible to adhere to the current emergency regulations – to respect curfew guidelines, wear masks and demonstrate ongoing respect for the rule of law.
We remain eternally grateful for the confidence that you, the Gambian people, have vested in our institution, and the support you continue to provide us with to ensure that we are able to carry out our domestic responsibilities to the best of our ability. We appeal to all Gambians and
all those resident in the Gambia to remain steadfast, stay at home and help our armed forces and all emergency services to protect the interests of all of us.
From Office of the Minister of Defence
TEL: (220) 4228552 FAX: (220) 4224001 e-mail: info@mod.gov.gm