By : Jankey Ceesay
\nThe National Assembly yesterday debated over the plight of stateless individuals residing in Ghana Town, Brufut. The matter was brought to the floor by Honorable Alhagie Babou Ceesay, Member for Sabach Sanjal, who urged the House to take urgent action to regularise the status of residents who, despite being born and raised in The Gambia, remain without legal documentation.<\/p>\n
Ceesay highlighted a recent assessment conducted by the Gambian Commission for Refugees (GCR), Gambia Food and Nutrition Association (GAFNA), and the UNHCR Senegal Multi-Country Office. The study revealed that 87% of the residents lack documentation from any other country, while almost all (98.9%) consider The Gambia their home. This unresolved status restricts access to basic services, including healthcare, education, and formal employment, leaving the community vulnerable to discrimination, harassment, and marginalisation.<\/p>\n
The member urged the government to simplify the naturalisation process, grant Gambian nationality to long-term residents, and reform the country\u2019s citizenship laws to ensure that children born to stateless parents are officially recognised. \u201cThese residents have contributed to our society for decades. They deserve legal recognition, protection, and a sense of belonging,\u201d Ceesay said.<\/p>\n
Several members spoke in support of the motion. Honorable Alhagie Mbowe, representing Upper Saloum, stressed that statelessness is a global issue and noted that Gambian laws, particularly the 1997 Constitution and the 2005 Children\u2019s Act, are not sufficient to address the problem. He called for alignment with international instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Union protocol on eradication of statelessness, to ensure that children born to stateless parents can acquire citizenship.<\/p>\n