The Attorney General of the Republic of Liberia and head of the Joint Security, Justice Minister Frank Musa Dean, has described the issue of disadvantaged youth or zogos as an overriding concern to all Liberians and the Joint Security which he said the government is taking seizure of the matter and hope that in a relatively short period progress will be seen.
While the Joint Security amid huge public outcry is taking some steps to bring the situation under control, a member of the 54th National Legislature, Lofa County Senator Steve Zargo who Chairs the State Statutory Committee on Defense, Security, Intelligence and Veteran Affairs, has also disclosed that a committee of nine members at the level of parliament is being constituted to drive at a roadmap that will address the issue of zogos in the Country.
To ensure the proper engagement, Senator Zargo, as Chairperson of the committee said the committee will be given two weeks to engage stakeholders of the security sector of the country – the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), Liberia National Police (LNP), and all other actors for information pivotal to help the Senate achieve a comprehensive roadmap that will deal with the matter before it gets out of hand.
Accordingly, he stated, “We will have subpoena power. We want to come up with a good roadmap that will help the government to nab zogos so that it can not develop to a period where it will get out of control. It is becoming huge”, he added that he does not blame it on the current administration, saying “Our DDRR may not have been comprehensive, that got us to where we are today, so that is a challenge we have to face as a nation”.
The Lofa County Lawmaker while responding to concerns from participants at the program marking the 65th Armed Forces Day Symposium, yesterday, February 3, 2022, held at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, also extols the Armed Forces of Liberia for the role played in Mali, which he pointed out that the way the AFL soldiers conducted themselves has given the AFL soldiers good professional image to the outside world.
Against the backdrop, “We are trying to make budgetary allotment increase our strength to what our international partners can agree with us that this is the strength of Liberia, he further said.
Sitting as a panelist for the Symposium, the Internal Affairs Minister, Varney Sirleaf said, when people begin to take matters into their own hands it signals to policymakers in the security sector to relook at their response mechanism. Stating that when people continue to get angry over time they burst into flames. How we address it that has claimed the attention of the President and the National Security Council matters.
“Let all of us be one another keeper. But the government should be the one to protect all of its citizens with the involvement of the communities”, the Internal Affairs Minister told participants at the AFL 65th Symposium.
Reported by: Taisiah K.Merfee
Email: Merfeetaisiah94@gmail.com
Phone number: +231888635121/+231776247549
Whassap: /+231776247549
