Monrovia, Thursday October 29, 2020:  Liberia’s Security Sector continues to enjoy collaborative efforts in their quest to defend the sovereignty of Liberia, especially in area of combating the proliferation of illicit trade of small arms and light weapons and keeping accurate account of arms and ammunitions in Liberia.

Part of this collaborative effort was brought to fruition when the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA), through the National Security Sector Reform Coordinator Atty. Samuel F. Dakana donated Physical Security and Stockpile Management equipment to the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) and the Liberia National Police (LNP).

Speaking during the handover of the equipment at separate ceremonies, Atty. Dakana conveyed President Weah’s gratitude to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for thinking in the direction of supporting the Security Sector with equipment for the purpose of enhancing the work of the sector.

Atty Dakana noted that ECOWAS through the years has significantly supported in a positively way Liberia’s ongoing peace process and this has been demonstrated through physical support to the government.

The Security Sector Reform Coordinator asserted that Liberia has always exhibited fruitful compliance when it comes to international agreements, citing mainly the ECOWAS Convention.

Atty. Dakana cautioned both authorities of the Police and the Armed Forces of Liberia to properly utilize the materials in the best interest of the state.

Also at the handover ceremonies at both headquarters of the Police and AFL, LiNCSA’s Chairman Atty. Teklo Maxwell Grigsby II, expressed his profound gratitude to the authorities of ECOWAS for assisting Liberia’s peace process, especially in the area of combating illicit trade and flows of small arms and light weapons.

Chairman Grigsby said the donation of the PSSM equipment would help enhance record keeping and to ease the work of officers who are serving the country.

LiNCSA’s Boss mentioned that four Officers both from the Police and AFL have benefited from international training concerning Physical Security and Stockpile Management Courses.

Atty. Grigsby lauded authorities of the Police and the AFL for their rigorous efforts in assisting the Commission to curb the illicit flow of small arms and light weapons in Liberia.     

Meanwhile, receiving the equipment on behalf of the Liberian Government, the Minister of Defense Honorable Daniel Dee Ziankahn praised ECOWAS and the leadership of the Small Arms Commission for the support and promised that the equipment will be rightfully used.

The Defense Chief Noted that Liberia will live up to the expectation of ECOWAS in promoting the peace and stability of Liberia and the West African Region.

For his part, Inspector General of Police Honorable Patrick Toe Sudue also expressed his appreciation to ECOWAS for the trust placed in the Small Arms Commission to donate the PSSM materials.

The Police Chief extoled the brilliant leadership of Atty. Teklo Maxwell Grigsby II and the Commission for always thinking in the direction of assisting the Police. Honorable Sudue promised that trained officers of the police will carefully handle the donated materials.

The PSSM materials donated to the Police are as follow:

Server with Qwerty Keyboard    1 piece

Desktop with Qwerty                  2 pieces

Electric Extension Box               2 pieces

UPS 600VA                                2 pieces

UPS 1000VA                              1 piece

Hand Pallet Truck                       1 piece

OTP Key                                     3 pieces

The Armed Forces of Liberia also received the following:

Hand Pallet Truck                        3 pieces

Dell Computer                             1 piece

UPS                                              1 piece

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) under the framework of the European Union Support to ECOWAS Regional Peace, Security and Stability Mandate Programme (ECOWAS-EU PSS), made the donation to Liberia as part of a larger support to enable ECOWAS Member States to improve physical security and stockpile management on the basis of the ECOWAS road map to promote the effective implementation of Article 16 of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons.