AS PART OF ARMED FORCES DAY CELEBRATION
Monrovia – The Barclay Training Center in Monrovia will host public presentations and exhibitions of the various units of the Liberian Armed Forces on Wednesday and Thursday, February 1-2, 2023, this week for students from various schools. Sam Collins, Assistant Minister for press and public affairs at the Ministry of National Defense, revealed that as part of the unit’s display, Major General Prince C. Johnson, chief of staff of the AFL, will transfer command of the Liberian army to a student who will serve as commander for a single day.
Minister Collins addressing a press conference in Monrovia said, during the unit presentation, various AFL units will display their equipment at various sites. Collins said that although adults are not required to wear school uniforms, students who would be watching the AFL unit demonstrations must in order to be recognized.
This year’s Armed Forces Day will be observed under the theme “Inter-Agency Collaboration: Working Together for Peaceful Elections,” according to the Assistant Defense Minister for Public Affairs. He claims that on February 3rd, 2023, an Islamic service will be held at the BBK Barrack Schiefflin, Margibi County, to kick off the unit exhibition, which is one of the events commemorating the 66th anniversary of Armed Forces Day.
Minister Collins continued, “On Saturday, the 4th of February 2023, 100 personnel of the AFL in collaboration with the Lone Star MTN, staff members at the Ministry of National Defense, and veterans of the Armed Forces of Liberia, will conduct general cleaning up campaign to give the Duport Road community a facelift. “On the same day,” Minister Collins added, “a team of 20 members from the medical command from the AFL will be on a medical outreach providing general health education, HIV prevention messages, other basic medical screening, and administering treatment to a few outpatients in the communities.
Regarding other outdoor activities, he stated that a soccer and kickball tournament will be held at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex with participation from the joint security, the Federation of Liberian Youths, the Liberia Motorcycle and Tricycle Union, the Liberia National Student Union, and Lone Cell NTN. Minister Collins said an AFL service will be held at the International Military Church at the Edward Beyan Kesselly Military Barracks in Schiefflin, Margibi County, on Sunday, February 5, 2023.
A one-day symposium with the title “Fostering Effective Stakeholder Engagement for Sustainable Democracy” will take place in the conference room of Monrovia City Hall on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, Collin announced to the media.
Minister Collins added that Stephen Rodrigues, the resident representative of the UNDP in Liberia, will give the keynote address at the symposium, and panelists Eugene Nagbe, the commissioner general of the Liberia Maritime Authority, Josephine Nkrumah, and Deputy Speaker Fonatis Koffi will represent ECOWAS and the House of Representatives, respectively.
Senator Steve Zargo, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Defense, Intelligence, and Veteran Affairs, and the Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection will also be on the panel. Among others, Williametta Piso Saydee-Tarr, Sheik Ali Krayee, the Liberian Chief Imam.
The Commanding General of the 46th Military Police Command in Lansing, Michigan, Major General Pablo Estrada, will serve as the guest speaker at the official celebration of the Armed Forces Day.
The program will be followed by a military parade through the primary streets in Monrovia.
Reported by: Augustine Octavius
Contact: +231777463963
Email: augustineoctavius@gmail.com
