President George Manneh Weah has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to providing every necessary support to the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) in order to address challenges faced by the Army.
President Weah, who is Commander-In-Chief of the AFL, recounted the many professional contributions the Army continues to make in meeting the country’s needs.
In a special statement Saturday, February 11, 2023 at the 66th AFL Day Program at the Barclay Training Center, the President mentioned the Recruitment Drive for new members to join the Armed Forces, which began in 2022.
He noted that the process is ongoing, with 2,335 successful applicants from the five regions.
“The first batch of recruits and Officer Cadets training began in October last year at the Armed Forces Training Command, comprising 176 recruits and 24 officers,” the President revealed.
“The first batch graduated from the Initial Entry Training in December of last year, and they completed the Advance Individual Training at the end of last month at the Barclay Training Center,” he stated.
The Commander-In-Chief asserted that the AFL is significantly involved in infrastructural development in the country to ensure it contributes its quota to meeting the needs of Liberians while at the same time conducting its security operations.
“I must say that the Armed Forces has lived up to this opportunity and has been instrumental to numerous infrastructural development efforts of the Government so far,” he said, adding that the Engineer Company has been actively involved in the construction and reconditioning of feeder roads and bridges, as well as pedestrian walkways in some towns and villages of our country.
‘These projects are well-structured and up to international standards,” he added.
“Also significant was the medical outreach offered to the Liberian people by the Armed Forces in Po River, and the clean-up campaign undertaken by the Armed Forces personnel in Du Port Road Community as part of the Armed Forces Day Celebrations,” the Liberian Leader continued.
President Weah maintained that these efforts are enough reasons to celebrate the Army as being result-oriented.
President Weah further asserted that his administration is aware that AFL made these achievements in the face of numerous challenges, including inadequate funding, lack of manpower, inadequate accommodation for personnel, and insufficient codified policies for administering military justice.
He noted further: “However, let me assure you that my Administration is making all concerted efforts to address these challenges. For example, just recently, I approved the Court Martial Regulation for the Armed Forces, which will greatly assist the administration of military justice in Liberia. Many such regulations will come onboard in the coming days.”
Weah also stated that the government is striving to meet the logistical and training needs of the AFL by building more capacity for the Armed Forces training institutions.
According to the President, the Armed Forces of Liberia is in the process of establishing its Non-Commissioned Officers Academy at the Armed Forces Training Command at Camp Sandee Ware and that the Academy will not only increase Military capacity, but will also foster and strengthen regional and international ties with foreign militaries.
As part of efforts geared towards improving the operational and administrative course of the AFL, he announced the approval of the Court Martial Regulation for the Armed Forces, which he said will greatly assist the administration of military justice in Liberia.
“Many of such regulations will come onboard in the coming days,” the President emphasized.
Despite the challenges in the growth process, President Weah declared that the government will continue to make favorable policies to support the Armed Forces to grow in strength and might.
He then promised that his administration would continue to “look into the future with new hope and aspirations as we expand our efforts.
“We understand that there will be challenges in the performance of our duties. However, we ask all Liberians to continuously see the Armed Forces as a true representation of the Liberian people,” the President intimated.
The Commander-In-Chief urged the Army to remain the “People’s Soldiers” as they perform their duties in like manner, and also charged Liberians in all walks of life to support the Armed Forces to always conduct its functions as a professional military that serves the collective interest of all Liberians.President Weah thanked the Minister of Defense, Major General Daniel Ziankahn (Rtd.), and his able team for what he called “the excellent leadership they have manifested in making our Armed Forces a “Force for Good”.
Meanwhile, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia, has re-accentuated the gallant contributions and meaningful role members of the Armed Forces of Liberia, past and present, have played in upholding the country’s statehood and democracy over the years.
In his Armed Forces Day Address at the Barclay Training Center, President Weah recalled how the celebration of AFL Day in Liberia is a long-time tradition borrowed from the United States of America.
“I have learned that, in 1954, Colonel Francis M. Dean, the then Assistant Chief of Staff and Intelligence Officer of the Armed Forces of Liberia, using the United States concept, conceived the noble idea and recommended that a day be set aside yearly as ‘Armed Forces Day’ to honor the members of the Armed Forces of Liberia,” the President reflected.
The Commander-In-Chief also historicized that the setting aside of the 11th of February by the Liberian Legislature is in recognition of the bravery and sacrifice of troops of the Armed Forces of Liberia who ended a mutiny that took place on February 11,1909.
According to President Weah, the AFL has since endured a lot of struggles but equally managed to come out stronger, better, and more determined to create a better Liberia.
“We therefore use this day to champion and honor the past and present members of the Armed Forces of Liberia, because there cannot be a strong democracy without a professional military,” the President opined, adding: “As Commander-in-Chief, I have implicit confidence in the ability of our troops and security forces to effectively execute their duties.”
The President said he has progressively monitored the achievements of the AFL over the years and harbored no doubt that the Army is on the right path to greatness, both locally and in the international community.
He asserted that the AFL possesses unique capacities in supporting civil authority, particularly in the nation’s development efforts.
He stressed the need for continuous strengthening of border control mechanisms and that the army remains vigilant against the negatives that could affect the peace and stability of the nation and people.
Weah rallied Liberians “never to waiver to protect ourselves against extremism and the consequences of terrorism”.
“Accordingly, we must be better informed, and ensure effective coordination and preparedness between and among our military and civilian law enforcement agencies, against any action that could affect our peace, security and stability,” he said further. “On this day, we also remember and pay homage to those who, through their service in these Armed Forces, have made the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation and its Peoples.”
He revealed that the Liberian flag is being carried proudly by AFL soldiers in the troubled regions of Timbuktu, in Mali, the Republic of Sudan, and the Republic of South Sudan
“Other countries where our troops are making contributions to peacekeeping include the Republic of Guinea Bissau and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These are all very Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA) missions. Our hearts go out to them, and we look forward to proudly receiving them safely back home at the end of their missions,” the President explained.
He classified the celebration of the 66th AFL Day as a recognition of the unflinching dedication of the Army to the protection of the nation.
The President termed it an honor for him to be the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, as well as both a pleasing duty and a proud privilege to celebrate with them.
President Weah used the occasion to thank international partners for continuous technical and financial assistance to the upkeep of the AFL.
“On behalf of the Government of Liberia, I would also like to express our gratitude to the Government of the United States, through the Office of Security Cooperation (OSC), for its continuous support of the AFL. The contributions of China, Bangladesh, and Egypt are also gratefully acknowledged,” the AFL Commander-In-Chief noted.
The Republics of Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone are also among counties President Weah thanked for contributing personnel to the ECOWAS Advisory Training Team (EATT), which he said has been serving in an advisory capacity to the AFL, and also for offering training slots to the AFL.
According to him, their mentorship and support to the AFL have contributed immensely to the restructuring and professional development of the AFL.
The Commander-In-Chief made specific reference to members of the AFL “for your discipline, dedication to duty, and commitment to the responsibility of protecting our territorial integrity, and for the gallantry exhibited by you in executing your missions and tasks wherever you are deployed.”
During the ceremony at the BTC, President Weah bestowed meritorious honors of Distinguished Service Order (DSO) on Colonel Washington Bower (Retired) and Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Nah (Retired) for serving Liberia tirelessly as pilots in the former AFL.
