PHOTO: Platform guests pose for group shortly after the launching ceremony
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The Liberia National Commission on Arms has officially launched its five-year strategic plan aimed at making the country save, peaceful and secure and clear all weapons out of the hands of non-state actors.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, the commission’s Chairman, James Fromayan, disclosed that the fight against illicit arms is shared responsibility that involves civil society organizations, state security institutions, local and community leaders and the media.
According to Mr. Fromayan , since the end of the Liberian civil war, there has been no comprehensive search and illicit arms in the hands of non-state actors has the propensity to threaten security, increase gender-based violence and create unnecessary hardship for the ordinary people.
Perform the launching of the five-year strategic plan on behalf of Samuel Kofi Woods, the National Security Advisor to the President, Thomas Du, who is the consultant in the Office of the Presidential Advisor on National Security, said the plan envisage five pillars including civilians’ arms registration, introduce responsible gun ownership, tighten border control and updating and grading the armories of all state security institutions in the country.
For his part, the Director General of the Civil Service Agency, Josiah Joekai, assured the LINCA of the CSA fullest cooperation in the discharge of its statutory mandate.
According to Joekai, the estimated 60,000 employees of the Liberian government will be better serves as massagers to create awareness in their various locals about the mandate of LINCA.
Also remarking during the program, the Acting Chairman of the Governance Commission, Professor Alaric Togbah, claimed the illicit arms in the hands of non-states actors is a threat to peace, security and democracy in the country
Speaking on behalf of the National Defense Minister, Geraldine George, the Assistant Defense Minister for Plans, Policy and Operation, Allen Charleson assured LINCA of the ministry’s fullest cooperation in ensuring that illicit arms does not remain in the hands of non-state actors.
The national legislature, represented by Arthur Kowah, the Chief of Office Staff, Office of Senator Momo Cyrus, Chairman , Senate Committee on National Defense, Intelligence and Veteran Affairs and the Chairman of the House’s Committee on National Security, Gizzie Kollince, both expressed the national legislature on LINCA efforts aimed at clearing the country out of illicit arms
The launching ceremony, which was held in Monrovia, was graced by , representatives of the various security institutions and international partners.