-At the Armed Forces Day celebrations
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
President George Manneh Weah, who is Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), has ordered Defense Minister and Chief of Staff of the AFL to immediately begin the development of a policy framework for the re-activation of the agricultural company in the national army.
CIC Weah said his order is in line with the CDC government’s desire to remain focus on agriculture as a tool for poverty reduction and economic transformation in the country.
President Weah was speaking at the official national program marking the celebration of the 63rd anniversary of the Armed Forces Day held at the Barclay Training Center in Monrovia on Tuesday, February 11, 2020.
It was in recent weeks that the Liberian leader nominated a new Minister of Agriculture to replace his government’s first appointed Minister, Dr. Mogana Flomo, after the post had stayed vacant for a protracted period.
This year’s Armed Forces Day is in its 63rd year will be celebrated at the Barclay Training Center (BTC) under the theme: “Strategy to incorporate more females in the Security Sector; AFL in perspective”.
A Presidential Proclamation issued by the Foreign Ministry before the anniversary said it is in consonance with an Act of National Legislature of the Republic of Liberia, declaring the 11TH day of February of each year as Armed Forces Day to be observed as a National Holiday.
The proclamation further states that the Armed Forces Day celebration is also in recognition of the vital role of the Armed Forces of Liberia in Defending and protecting Liberia’s Territorial integrity and its people from foreign aggression and upholding the social and Political Liberty of the people of Liberia as enshrined in the constitution of Liberia.
At the official celebrations on Tuesday, the Liberian President also directed the Defense Minister and the AFL Chief of Staff to begin identification of AFL land throughout the country for the agricultural project of the army.
President Weah mandated the Education and Defense Ministers to begin the renovation of all schools the army barracks throughout the country as a preparation for the establishment of the AFL School District.
He promised to lobby with partners to sponsor and assist the agricultural and educational projects for the AFL
Delivering the Armed Forces Day message, the General Services Agency Director General, Mary Broh, stressed the need to step the number of women in the Armed Forces of Liberia and other security forces.
She added that government must give consideration to equal representation of women in the AFL and other security institutions.
According to her, women need to be in decision making positions because they are equally qualified as the men
During the program, several personalities were honored and decorated by President George Weah for their roles in upgrading the human development capacity of the Liberian army.
Those honored were Lt. Gen. Obed Boamah Akwa, the Chief of Defense Staff, Armed Forces of Ghana; Lt. Gen. Brima Sesay, Chief of defense Staff, Armed Forces of Sierra Leone; and Lt. Gen. Lassina Dounbia, Chief of General Staff, Armed Forces of Ivory Coast.
Others are Lt. Gen. Namory Traore, the Chief of Defense Staff, Armed Forces of Guinea; Colonel Ebenezer Oduyebo, Senior Advisor ECOWAS Advisory Training Team to the AFL; Mary Broh, Director General of the General Services Agency; and Counselor Philip Banks, former Associate Justice of Supreme Court of Liberia.
The celebration held under the theme: “Strategies to Incorporate Females in the Security Sector,” was graced by a cross session of officials of the government , foreign dignitaries, and large onlookers.