AFL releases itinerary for Armed Forces Day

The Armed Forces of Liberia with the participation of other security sectors has planned a six-day program to commemorate the year’s Armed Forces Day on February 11, 2014.

The pre-festivity will begin on Thursday, 6 February with a conference at the Monrovia City Hall at 10:00 A.M, under the theme: “Interagency Cooperation: Fundamental Necessity for the Security of the Republic of Liberia.”

According to a press release, former Information Minister Dr. Laurence K. Bropleh, will serve as Moderator, while the Keynote Speaker of the conference is Dr. Amos C. Sawyer, Chairman of the Governance Commission of Liberia.

On Friday, 7 February a Jummat Service will be held at the Gurley Street Mosque at 12:00 P.M., while on Saturday, 8 February the Armed Forces of Liberia will  host a cleanup campaign and medical outreach at the same time in West Point Township at 6:00 A.M to be followed by a Kickball match between the female teams of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization and the Armed Forces of Liberia.

In addition, there will be a mini Knockout Olympic is involving the football teams of the Armed Forces of Liberia, the Liberia Broadcasting System, the Liberia National Police and UNPOL at about 1:00 P.M at the Samuel K. Doe Sports (SKD) Complex in Paynesville.

On Sunday, 9 February a thanksgiving and the intercessory prayer service will be held at the Philadelphia Central Church on Tubman Boulevard Congo Town, adjacent Total Gas Station. The Intercessory Service will commence at 11:00 A.M.

The official celebration of the Armed Forces Day will take place at the Barclay Training Center Grand Stand, beginning as early as 7:20A.M on Tuesday, February 11, 2014. The Agencies participating alongside the AFL will be the Liberia National Police, Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, the Liberia National Fire Service, the Executive Protection Service, the Drugs Enforcement Agency, the National Scouts Association and other security agencies.

A Change of Command Ceremony is expected during the celebration, which is a simple traditional event that is rich with symbolism and military heritage, where an out-going Commander symbolically passes for authority to the In-coming Commander by the presentation of the National colors.

The Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf disclosed in her recent annual message that come February 11, 2014, the army will have a Liberian Chief of Staff.  It is expected that Maj. Gen. Suraj A. Abdurrahman, Command Officer- In-Charge of the Armed Forces of Liberia will relinquish command to a new Liberian Chief of Staff. The C-I-C is at the same time expected to make the appointment known to the public.

The official Armed Forces Day program is expected to be graced by officials from the three branches of the Liberian Government, members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps and other high profile personalities within the West African Sub region and beyond.

It is also expected that the two new boats donated by the U.S. government to the Liberian Coast Guard to enhance the operational capabilities of the Liberian Coast will be commissioned on the waters at the Coast Guard Base Bushrod Island. The celebration ends with a ball at the Executive Pavilion at 6:00PM.