PHOTO: Retired AFL Col. Goodridge
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The National Bureau of Veteran Affairs, who seeks the welfare of former Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) soldiers, has for the first time taken a giant step aimed at decentralizing its activities with the assignment of coordinators and officers in the 15 counties.
The coordinators and officers were officially presented letters of assignment at a brief ceremony held at the offices of the bureau in Congo Town.
Speaking at the ceremony in Monrovia this week, the Director General of the National Bureau of Veteran Affairs, Retired Colonel Edwin Goodridge urged the coordinators and officers to serve as ambassadors by working with the local authorities in ensuring the presence of the bureau is felt.
He challenged the coordinators and officers to implement the vision of President George Weah for the veterans to engage in food production.
Their deployment is in preparation of a major agricultural project to be carried out by the Veterans Bureau in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture.
Veterans Bureau Coordinators before their deployment
Colonel Goodridge cautioned the coordinators and officers to ensure the welfare of veterans, widows and children of fallen soldiers are given serious attention so as to develop their skills for betterment of the country.
The National Bureau of Veteran Affairs Director General described the tasks of the coordinators and officers as an important journey that they have about to begin by putting the veterans together in their respective countie,s where information from the headquarters will disseminated to them and their concerns to be transmitted to the office in Monrovia.
He admonished them to be very diligent in their duties because after sometimes, the bureau will be doing assessment as a special award is awaiting the coordinator and officers who really perform in accordance to the mandate of the bureau.
In remarks, the Deputy Director General for Administration at the National Bureau of Veteran Affairs, Alexander Geor, said the veterans of the AFL will remain loyal to the government in order to maintain peace and stability in Liberia.
He warned the veterans against acts that will bring negative image to the bureau and asked them to work with local leaders in making President Weah’s agricultural program a success.
He attributed the assignment of these coordinator and officers to the hard work and determination of President George Weah to ensure that the veterans’ welfare is cater for.
Major Geor encouraged the coordinators and officers to ensure that they open a local offices of the bureau by working along with the local authorities.
He mandated them to furnish the bureau by giving account about the veterans in their respective areas of assignments so as to fully brief the government that things are intact.
The program was witnessed by Colonel Andrew Wreh , Deputy Director General for Veteran Affairs, and Ophelia Tweh-Hinneh , the Assistant Director for Women and Children , senior staffs among others.