Nullifies Outcome Of Vetting And Selection Of 3 Veterans To Manage Bureau Of Veterans Affairs Bureau
PHOTO: New AFL Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Davidson Forleh, Chief of Staff
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The high command of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) has with the immediate effect nullified the outcome of the vetting and subsequent selection of three veterans for the management team at the National Bureau for Veterans Affairs and restored calm in the veterans community.
Recently, a 17-member steering committee was set up by the veteran community of the Armed Forces of Liberia in collaboration with the National Bureau of Veteran Affairs.
Members selected included Retired Major Thomas Plato, Director General; Retired Captain Edward Tokpah, Deputy Director General for Administration; and Retired First Lieutenant Isaac Wallace, Deputy Director General for Veteran Affairs, to be forwarded to President Joseph Bokai for nomination and subsequent confirmation by the Liberian Senate.
But, this venture brought angry reaction from the just past leadership of the National Bureau of Veteran Affairs on ground that it violated the Act that established the entity.
Speaking shortly after a day-long meeting with the contending parties in the veteran community, AFL Chief of Staff, Major General, Davidson Forleh, made unequivocally clear that only the board of directors of the National Bureau of Veteran Affairs is clothed with the authority vet and forward qualified vets for onward recommendation to the President and Commander in Chief of the AFL.
According to Maj. Gen Fortleh, the continuous presence of the out-going leadership at the bureau and the measures taken by some members in selecting and vetting a new leadership is in sharp contravention in the procedures for appointments which must meet the consent and approval of the board of directors after proper vetting and selection process.
Based on prevailing circumstances, the AFL Chief of Staff also requested the out-going management team to relinquish all their activities by handing over the gavel of authority to the Human Resource Officer in accordance to the directive of the former President Georgte Weah
Maj. Gen. Forleh advised that the current Human Resource Officer, Retired Captain Edward Tokpah; the Comptroller, Retired Major Joseph Nyunder and a skeleton staff head an interim leadership of the bureau.
He urged both parties to be peaceful and calm and assured them that he will be holding consultation with the President and Commander in Chief, Joseph Boakai, during the interim for appropriate solutions in line of the Act that established the National Bureau of Veteran Affairs
Meanwhile, the AFL Chief of Staff has also cautioned the contending parties to relate positively to the widows of the late veterans to remain peaceful and refrain from any form of protest against the government as the authority shall look into their concerns and come out with redress.
For their parts, the contending parties accepted the advice of the Chief of Staff and promised to remain calm as they will work together as a team for the good of the National Bureau of Veteran Affairs.
They also registered their commitments in intervening and calming the planned protest by widows of deceased veterans.
The meeting, which was held at the conference room of the AFL High Command, was attended by Colonel Theophilus Anto Dana, Deputy Chief of Staff of the ALL and some members of the AFL high command.