By: Amadu Wurie Timbo
Hosted at its office located at Nicol Street in Makeni, the Sierra Leone National Commission on Small Arms on Thursday 17th November 2021 officially launched the Northern Region office.
The daylong event attracted many dignitaries including Honorable David Panda Noah, Minister at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Honorable Sahr E. Juana, Member of Parliament representing the people of Constituency 002 in Kailahun District who doubles as the Chairman of the Defense Committee at the Parliament of Sierra Leone united with the Resident Paramount Chief, PC Bai Shebora Kasangha II, Forces Representatives and other prominent stakeholders grace the event that gears towards to the security and well-being of Citizens living in the country.
In his statement, Rtd. Colonel Binneh K. Konteh, the National Commissioner of the Sierra Leone National Commission on Small Arms describe the event as symbolic, stating that, the official launching of the office of the Commission in the to help enforce a safe and peaceful Sierra Leone.
He further stated that the establishment of regional offices of the Commission in both the South and Northern part of the country is not to put people using illegal arms under threat but to ensure that those arms are lessened for the purpose one may wish to get ammunition. He strongly advised that arms users and those wishing to use arms must follow the right procedures as guided by the laws of the Commission in owning light weapons in order to lessen or eradicated the use of fire arms during arm robbery and other criminal activities.
Speaking as the Keynote Speaker, HonorableDavid Panda Noah, Minister at the Ministry of Internal Affairs said one of the mandates of the commission is to end the misuse of small arms. He said the commission has earlier conducted similar activity in the Southern Region capital of Bo to ensure that the mission in eradicating the use of illegal fire arms in the country is realized, vividly calling on all those wishing to use light weapons to avoid being trapped by the law and register their arms, assuring that there will be no form of arrest to anyone wishing to report and register a light weapon.
He added that Sierra Leone has sustained a lot of porous spaces of entrances and exits to its immediate neighbors. Stressing that, such condition is considered as a high security threat to the land, believing that criminals use those ways to carry arms in and out of the country. He assured that Government is swiftly working to lead a bound in using those routes.
Resident attendees celebrated the event, naming it historic and a true indication of the seriousness of the commission in enforcing peace in the country. Conclusively, they affirmed to provide their support to the commission to identifying and presenting all illegal arms users and Gunsmiths to the law if they fail to willingly go to the commission’s office and register their Fire Arms.
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