The Senate Committee Chairperson on Defense, Veteran Affairs and Intelligence, Momo Cyrus, has publicly denounced the budgetary allocation for the security sector, calling it “a mere joke” that undermines the safety and stability of the nation.
Speaking during his appearance on OK FM, Sen. Cyrus emphasized, “Security is the first line of contact and needs to be supported fully. As such, it is disheartening to see that Liberia has the lowest budget for Security in the region,, unlike other countries.”
The Lofa County Senator also expressed his deep concern over what he perceives as inadequate funding for the country’s police and military forces, and wondered, “How can we expect our security personnel to effectively protect our citizens when they are not given the resources they need?”
However, Cyrus’s comments come at a time when Liberia is struggling with rising crime rates and security challenges, with reports of armed robberies, assaults, and other violent crimes surging in recent months, prompting calls for a more robust response from law enforcement agencies.
The senator argued that without adequate funding, the police and military will struggle to address these issues effectively, emphasizing the critical role of a well-funded security sector in maintaining peace and order in a country still recovering from years of civil conflict and instability, that drastically affected all sectors of the country.
He said, “And frustratingly, I don’t understand why we are under-supporting our security sector, especially in the National budget, but yet, we want them, especially the police, fire service, LDEA and immigration, to perform miracles in protecting the country and people.
But this calm is just the beginning because now is the time to elevate the debate. Another thing, how do you expect good training as well as good officers when the training facilities where they are to come from are dilapidated?” he wondered.
According to the Senator, the current allocation is not only a reflection of the government’s priorities but also a dangerous gamble with the safety of the citizenry, noting, “This is not just about numbers; it’s about lives. We are putting our citizens at risk by failing to invest in their security.”
Sen. Cyrus also highlighted the need for comprehensive training and resources for security personnel, noting that many officers lack the necessary equipment and training to perform their duties effectively, which further exacerbates the security situation.
According to the Senator, it is time for the government to revamp the National Police Training Academy, provide more funds to improve infrastructure and develop capacity for officers of the LNP and other security personnel to be more effective.
Sen. Cyrus noted that training is key and essential as such, there is a need to provide more updated pieces of training for the police to get them up to speed with modern-day policing, and said, “I am emphasizing Police because, in most cases, they are the first line of contact with the people as such more needs to be done for them.”
He further narrated that the committee which he chairs upon their return after their break will in advance conduct hearings with the spending entities first and later on with the Ministry of Financial to see the need to help look at the issues and find a way to address the limited and or inadequate budget allotment to the security institutions that are paramount to the Country.
Cyrus added, “We cannot expect our security forces to succeed when they are under-equipped and under-trained as such, upon our return, I will plead with my colleagues to reconsider the security sector budget allocation.”
