Center for Justice and Peace Studies trains Joint Security in Nimba

By Thomas Domah /  Nimba County 

Ganta, Nimba County- Ahead of the October 10, 2023, Presidential and Legislative Elections, a non-governmental organization, Center for Justice and Peace Studies (CJPS) has embarked on training of Joint Security forces assigned in the county.

The two days training is sponsored by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and funded by the United Nations Peace Bundling Fund.

The exercise is a community engagement initiative titled “Promoting Peaceful Electoral Environment and Community Security in the Country and Strengthening Community Action for Peaceful Elections and Development.”  

The training brought together officers of the Liberia Immigration Services, the Police and the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) alongside the Community Watch Team, among others.

The program manager for the Justice and Peace Studies Mr. Francis Konyon, said the training is part of activities being sponsored by the Peace Bundling Fund and UNDP on how communities and State securities can live together peacefully during and after the elections.

He said it will enable security authorities to have knowledge of several things, including understanding the Liberian electoral procedure and regulations, understanding the role of security personnel in elections and how to effectively mitigate violence and human rights abuses, including violence against women in elections, among others.

The CJPS program manager noted that his organization is engaging every sector of the community and has been implementing in Monterrado, Lofa, Bong and Nimba, respectively.

He said the training will give skills to security personnel, as they have major role to play during the election, providing security at various polling centers.

Mr. Konyon added that the training will also help to promote peace among security personnel and community members and urged the participants to apply skills acquired at their various assignment areas during and after the polls.

For their part, Nimba County Police Commander Dixon Kemokai, the chief inspector for Ganta police department Dellin S.Fallah, Malison Gaylah of the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency and the county commander of the Community Watch Team, Stanley Vonzeah lauded the CJPS for the training, which they described as an eye opener. Editing by Jonathan Browne