By Mafugi Ceesay
Amid much speculations and calls for the deployment of the army to fight the spread of Covid-19, Armed Forces Spokesman Major Lamin Sanyang has said the army will be willing to be on the frontline to combat COVID-19 if authorized by civil authorities and with the requisite gears.
Speaking to The Standard, Sanyang said one of the roles of the military is to help the civilian population in times of emergency and COVID-19 transcends an emergency.
“But the intervention of the military in emergency can only be sanctioned by civil authority as stated in the constitution.So until the civil authority gives instructions we cannot jump up and lead because this is what resulted in all these 22 years of human rights abuses here and there. We don’t want any more commission in the future or whatsoever,” he clarified.
However according to the PRO, any deployment to the COVID-19 frontline must require resources in terms of kits considering the contagious nature of the virus.
“Inadequate resources and preparations can endanger the lives of army personnel involved in the fight against the pandemic.
“The military must need some protective gears to effectively operate in this mission when the need arises,” he explained.
