Monrovia — Over the weekend, Maj. Gen. Prince C. Johnson, III, (Rtd.) who had been confirmed as Minister of Defense was forced to resign just three days after his confirmation. His resignation was triggered by a series of protests staged by wives of service men who felt their husbands and families were not being treated well by the Armed Forces of Liberia under the watch of Maj. Gen. Johnson when he served as Chief of Staff when ex-President Weah. However, briefing from the retired Major General to President seen by FrontPageAfrica show that the issues the army were faced with were simply embroiled in the lack of policies within the army to address some of the core issues.
The Women's Plight
The women who staged a well-organized protest at several locations including in Bong and Grand Gedeh Counties ranted on dismal housing conditions, stagnant salaries and inadequate health insurance as some of the discontentment permeating through the military. They blamed these age-old problems within the barracks on the former Chief of Staff, alleging that he did too little to address their plights.
The women who protested included wives of servicemen from including the Camp Tubman Military Barracks in Grand Gedeh County, Gbarnga Military Barracks in Bong County, Todee Military Barracks in Montserrado County, Lofa Military Barracks, Coast Guard and Star Base Military Barracks, the Military Police Barracks at the Smell No Taste, Roberts International Airport, and the home of the 23rd Infantry Brigade, the Edward Beyan Kesseley Military Barracks in Lower Margibi County.
They, among other things, accused General Johnson of not remitting all of the monies and benefits of AFL soldiers on UN peacekeeping missions abroad. They further accused Maj. Gen. Johnson and former Defense Minister Daniel Ziankan of unfair employment practices. Under their leadership, they said there was no sound retirement policy and soldiers and families lived in poor housing facilities.
Lack of Policies
However, the notes prepared by the Maj. Gen. Johnson revealed that he had rather been aware and sympathetic with the conditions within the barracks and had proffered solutions and pending solutions to the Commander-In-Chief.
He noted in the briefing seen by FrontPageAfrica that the absence of retirement policies for the Armed Forces of Liberia has cast a shadow of uncertainty over its personnel, with enlistment guidelines in place but no provisions for retirement benefits. To bridge this gap, the AFL Pension and Gratuity Policy was formulated, aimed at safeguarding the futures of officers and enlisted personnel upon retirement. However, despite its drafting, the policy remains unenacted, prompting calls for urgent legislative action from the Government of Liberia. Passage of this policy, Maj. Gen. Johnson noted, is seen as crucial not only for ensuring the welfare of AFL retirees, but also for addressing issues such as Absent Without Leave and Voluntary Separation within the ranks.
Promotion Underway
Addressing the issue of promotion, he briefed the President that the AFL's High Command initiated restructuring in its promotion process, thereby establishing promotion boards for officers and enlisted personnel. According to him, the 2023 Promotion Boards have been convened with the specific mandate of assessing the eligibility of 18 officers and 332 enlisted individuals for promotion to higher ranks within the military.
Addressing Accommodation
The briefing notes disclosed that the growing demand for personnel and the need for adequate accommodation has been a major challenge facing the AFL.
Maj. Gen. Johnson highlighted the challenges faced by troops and their families due to inadequate housing facilities across various barracks in Liberia.
In response to this pressing issue, according to the briefing notes, the AFL has embarked on a series of renovations and construction projects aimed at improving accommodation conditions for its personnel. The recent interventions have focused on both newly built accommodation blocks and partially renovated barracks in different counties across the country.
The newly constructed accommodation blocks include 2 x 5 apartment blocks in Bong County and 1 x 5 apartment block in Grand Bassa County. These additions are expected to provide much-needed housing for AFL personnel and their families in these areas.
However, the renovations extend beyond new constructions. Several barracks have undergone partial renovations, with plans to complete the process to alleviate congestion and facilitate strategic deployment plans. Among the barracks that have been partially renovated are the Edward Binyah Kesselly Barracks in Margibi County, the Voinjama Barracks in Lofa County, Camp Whisner in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County, Camp Sande Ware in Careysburg, Montserrado County, RIA Barracks in Unification City, Margibi County, LCG Base in Bushrod Island, Montserrado County, and Tubman Military Academy in Todee, Montserrado County.
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Looking ahead, the AFL anticipates further growth in personnel deployment over the coming years. To accommodate this expansion, he stated the urgent need to complete the renovation of buildings that are yet to be renovated and initiate the renovation of unoccupied barracks. These measures will not only address accommodation shortages but also support the AFL's strategic deployment plan.
One critical aspect of resolving accommodation challenges involves the decongestion of the EBK Barracks. Additionally, Camp Todee has the potential to accommodate a battalion, but renovation works are required to unlock its full capacity. Similarly, the Tubmanburg Barracks, which has the capacity to hold a battalion, is in urgent need of renovation due to deteriorating facilities. Reports indicate that civilians have begun utilizing the buildings for their projects, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
Once renovated, the Tubmanburg Barracks will play a crucial role in facilitating AFL deployment in the western region of Liberia.
