Gbarnga — The Ministry of Justice has donated two four-door double-cabin Toyota pickups and motorbikes to the Gbarnga Regional Hub.
The minister of justice, Frank Musa Dean, said the donation of the vehicles and motorbikes is to be used for security operations in the three Hub counties, including Bong, Nimba and Lofa.
"We are delighted to join you in fulfillment of our promise as a government to continue to support and take ownership of projects that recognize the need to decentralize justice and security services regionally," he said.
"Security officers being the first respondent, selflessly work to protect and serve us, therefore, it's prudent they have the necessary logistics and dwelling place to be effective in delivering services through the Ministry of Justice's Champion of Pillar: sustaining the peace of the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development."
Minister Dean believes by providing continuous support to the security sector through the Rule of Law program, it will assist in building and enhancing access to justice and improve service delivery to rural inhabitants.
According to Minister Dean, President George Weah believes that the attainment of a genuine and cohesive society is not only fundamental to achieving sustainable peace, but also supports the the achievement of the government's flagship development drive - Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD), which goal is to lift the poor and vulnerable out of poverty through the just and reliable security for all Liberians and foreign residents.
He urged the police to partner with the citizens and not to use the vehicles and motorbikes giving to them to hunt hapless citizens. "Government will not condone any incident where there is violation of law and order. Our citizens must be law-abiding. We will not tolerate criminality and we will not tolerate illegality," he said.
Minister Dean extended thanks to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Hub manager, the Liberian National Police and the Liberia Immigration Service, and the Planning and Program Unit for coordinating the affairs for coordinating the affairs of the Regional Hub. "We remain committed in improving our justice system and affording every equitable access as well as assuring human rights protection for all," he said.
Gracing the program was Bong's District Three lawmaker, Marvin Cole, who said the vehicles and motorbikes would go a long way in boosting the morale of the police, and enhance their capacity to fight crime.
Rep. Cole said the investment to the Regional Hub was timely, given the setback recorded in security operations occasioned by repeated cases of violence in the three counties.
The lawmaker said the police had suffered losses in infrastructure and logistics, while the morale of the personnel dropped as a result of the impact.
"No society can survive without a motivated and well-equipped police force," the lawmaker said.
Rep. Cole urged the police to reciprocate the gesture by intensifying intelligence gathering and surveillance in suspected red zones and swiftly bringing criminals terrorizing Bong County to justice.
He, therefore, appealed to the public to assist security operatives in the three counties with useful information that would lead to the arrest of criminals.
Receiving the vehicles and motorbikes, the Regional Police Commander of Bong, Nimba and Lofa Counties , Morris Tingbeh, said it would motivate and enhance the operational capacity of security agencies.
Mr. Tingbeh thanked President Weah for prioritizing security in the country. "I strongly believe the donation of the vehicles and motorbikes by the government, crime will be a thing of the past in the three counties.
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"The security of this country is very paramount because the Regional Hub serves three counties."
The Gbarnga Regional Hub was established and dedicated in February 2012 as a pilot of five Hubs, to provide justice and security services, confidence patrol, respond to incidents of civil disobedience, surveillance patrol and legal services.
The pilot phase which serves Bong, Lofa and Nimba Counties has been through challenges, but the National Legislature has acknowledged the request of support for allotting money in the National Budget to renovate the Hub, and procured vehicles to sustain the Hub.
This support also captured Hub 2 in Grand Gedeh and Sinoe Counties, renovating the Zwedru office, and providing office equipment and motorbikes for outreach.
