Deputy Speaker of The Gambian Parliament, Hon. Seedy S.K. Njie, has consistently emphasised the collective responsibility of all stakeholders in addressing security challenges.
He said that members of parliament wants the citizens of Africa to live in peace and harmony.
Mr. Njie made the disclosure at the opening of the 8th Conference of Network of African Parliamentarians for Defence and Security Committees (REPAM-CDS) in Abuja.
He tasked security chiefs across the continent on protection of territorial integrity and sovereignty of African nations.
“I urged all service chiefs in Nigeria and beyond to work tirelessly to ensure that our people live in peace and harmony.
The issue of fear, terrorism, banditry and arm robbery is becoming common in the sub Saharan Africa and we need to do whatever it takes us to take our responsibility seriously and defend our territorial integrity and sovereignty of our nations,” Mr. Njie said.
He also assured participants that the parliamentarians were willing to work with the Federal Government in the advancement of the social-economic wellbeing of Africa.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Abbas Tajudeen recommended a special African parliamentary forum to ensure natural resources are harnessed responsibly to serve and empower the Africa people.
He said that the parliamentary special forum will monitor regions with resource conflicts, collaborate with regional legislative bodies to collect data, recommend safeguards, and support community-led development initiatives.
He said that the struggle for peace is also a struggle for responsible stewardship of Africa’s natural endowments.
The Speaker also said that illicit mining, opaque oil contracts and unregulated timber corridors generate revenue streams that arm insurgents, corrupt institutions and deny communities the dividends of growth.
“Where resource governance is weak, violence takes root; where it is transparent and accountable, prosperity and stability follow. Nigeria’s recent reforms illustrate the point.
“I recommend that our parliaments form a special forum to monitor regions with resource conflicts.
“Let us unite with unwavering resolve to strengthen our committees and harness our natural resources responsibly, ensuring they serve and empower our people,” he said.
He called for a continent-wide agreement on digital sovereignty, to help countries protect their cyberspace and financial systems without infringing on civil rights.
The Speaker said that Africans are watching their parliamentarians and wanted them to turn debates into real action, to match words with results, and to protect democracy, dignity, and our shared heritage.
The speaker said that the National Assembly is ready to help by sharing expertise, creating centres for legislative drafting, strengthening intelligence cooperation, and supporting a free press that promotes accountability.
In his remarks, the Chairman, House Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Mr. Ahmed Satomi said that parliamentarians play crucial roles in ensuring effective oversight, transparency, and accountability in the management of natural resources and security forces.
He said that through legislative instruments, lawmakers should ensure sustainable and credible governance processes for natural resources born out of the specific circumstances taking place on the local stage and broader agenda for governance across the globe.
“We must work together to develop durable and people-centred security solutions, aligning constitutional provisions with evolving threats and realities on the ground.
“I am delighted that the fundamental objectives of our Network have strongly and strategically positioned us to undertake these responsibilities.
“Let us therefore, work together to address these pressing security challenges and ensure that our natural resources contribute to the prosperity and stability of our great continent,” he said.
Also speaking, the National Security Adviser (NSA) Mallam Nuhu Ribadu said that the competition for resources had led to conflicts between communities, herders, and farmers, exacerbating existing tensions in several countries.
Represented by the Director Defence Affairs, Maj.-Gen. Peter Malla (rtd) Ribadu said that the mismanagement of natural resources had led to economic instability, corruption, and poverty.
According to him, the extraction of natural resources has also posed security threats, including terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping.
“We must come together to address the challenges we face, we need a comprehensive approach that includes.
“We need to share intelligence and coordinate efforts to prevent and counter security threats related to natural resources extraction.
“We need to secure our borders to prevent
the smuggling of goods and the movement of terrorists and bandits.
“We need to leverage technology
to detect and neutralize threats before they materialise and engage with local communities
to raise awareness and prevent radicalization that fuels terrorism,” he said.
The conference is titled “Security Governance of Natural Resources in Africa: Parliamentarians Confronted with New International Security Dynamics.”