A photo of some EPS officers performing their regular duties
By Mark N. Mengonfia, mmenginfia@gmail.com
Some officers of the Executive Protection Services (EPS) have threatened to carry out what they called, a widcat protest that will hold the Headquarters of the service hostage before transition, if their 30% mutual aid benefit is not paid.
EPS is an elite force that protects Liberia’s VIPs including the President, Vice President and other international visiting guests. It has been a tradition for members of that body to make a remittance of their monthly salary which was intended to be distributed among them at the end of the first tenure of President George M. Weah.
Contrast to their quest, report has it that the fund for the over 800 EPS officers was mismanaged by the Trokon Roberts administration and James E. G. Helb, the son of former EPS director Victor Helb, who left Liberia after reportedly mismanaging the fund along with Mr. Roberts.
As for this set of officers, the initiative of deducting 20$ from their monthly salary beginning 2018 and should have continued to 2023.
According to the source, in 2021, there was an issue that brought about dissatisfaction and the process was stopped. “In times of difficulty, we used to credit at the interest of 5%, an interest which accumulated additional money for the aid fund, but to get our own money has become a serious problem for us” the informer said.
Those who joined the mutual aid in 2018 are expected to get a little over 400 USD while those who joined in 2019 are expected to receive a sum over 300 USD.
“They took the money and bought land which they were reselling to pay back our money. We planned an early protest at which time the Ministry of Finance intervened and paid 70%” an informer told this reporter.
The intention of the mutual aid was to have it disbursed at the end of the first tenure of President George M. Weah, but it did not work as they anticipated. According to our sources at EPS, a statement confirmed by Mr. Philip Moore in an interview months ago said that the money was taken for land purchasing and that those who were clothed with the responsibility to manage the fund were trying to retrieve the money.
When Mr. Moore was recently contacted via WhatsApp and regular call to speak to the planned protest, but declined on grounds that he does not have adequate information about. Mr. Moore then referenced the journalist to the Administrator of EPS, Osel Williams. Mr. Williams said they are working to ensure that the money is paid and that investigation was ongoing, but when he was asked which institution was conducting said investigation, he didn’t say is but also pushed the Responsibility at the feet of Madam Esther P. Chea, the mismanaged mutual aid fund as the best person to ask.
Madam Chea when contacted via regular cell phone call, she said, “I do not speak for the EPS. Since I started working for the EPS many years ago, I have never spoken for the EPS.”
All of the authorities at the EPS have declined to speak to the disenchantment of the men and women in arms at this critical time of the country. The officers who spoke on the condition of anonymity said if their money is not paid this December, they will disrupt the smooth transition process of power.
The officers said since the money issue became a problem, the EPS administration has been promising them to pay, but each time they make a promise, they don’t make good their promises. The EPS agent said, “the account was a joint account under three signatories, James E G Helb, James B. Paye, and Alexander T. Togba and the mutual aid was chaired by Esther P. Chea chief of training and firearms division and Emmanuel P. Wesseh, auditor to the mutual aid.”
According to the source, with all of those connected to the fund, it was not possible for one person to corrupt the money, “This is something that Mr. Roberts’ administration planned.”
“We have been using the easy means to get out money, but you know in Liberia, officials love for people to protest before attention is given” another agent said.
This Reporter placed a Message to EPS boss, Trokon Roberts via WhatsApp, but he has not responded. Additional WhatsApp message was sent Thursday evening but there was no reply. And if he does later, that an will be provided in subsequent stories.
Meanwhile, investigation continues!