The Sierra Leone Commission on Small Arms (SLeNCSA) on Sunday 20th May 2012, held a one-day community education and sensitization campaign targeting the Goderich community. The ceremony, which was held at the Goderich Fish Landing Site Compound, has its theme as, “The youths and armed violence in the 2012 election”.
It attracted several youth groups, women’s organization, school pupils, traders and stakeholders within the community.
Addressing residents of Goderich and its environs, the Commissioner, Sierra Leone Commission on Small Arms, Retired Brigadier M.L. Lymon said the commission was furnished and currently funded by ECOWAS.
He said it was established after Sierra Leone’s civil war. He used the forum to narrate the dangers of small arms, adding that after the process of disarmament in Sierra Leone, the commission was established to address the issue of small arms proliferation in the country.
According to the retired brigadier, the Government of Sierra Leone with support from ECOWAS is currently working on establishing strong laws on small arms.
Giving the purpose of the sensitization, the Assistant Commissioner, Sierra Leone Commission on Small Arms, Retired Colonel M.S. Bangura revealed that, the recent increase in violence in the country has becoming something of everyone’s concern. He said as the theme implies, youths are more vulnerable to violence these days, whilst stressing the need for them to be targeted in such sensitizations. The retired Colonel used the forum to admonish youths to stay away from violence, especially in the slated November 17 polls.
