Editorial: BIN and Action Plan: Achieving the Deliverables in Practical Terms

Government ministries and agencies continue to exert all efforts to ensure the achievement of the 150-day deliverables set by the Liberian Chief Executive, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

For fear that the Executive mansion, this time around, may ensure stringent administrative measures against non-compliance with the deliverables within the time-frame, heads of government institutions amidst the numerous challenges, are striving to practically achieve those that fall within their purview.

Under the auspices of the Liberian Government, through the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization or BIN and sponsorship of the United nations Police, United nations Development Program or UNDP and International Organization for Migration or IMO, a two-day retreat was recently held in Paynesville, outside Monrovia for a huge number of national security officials, majority of whom were from the BIN.

In a 12-count validation of the Bureau’s deliverables and strategic planning, Commissioner Abla Williams disclosed an initial deployment of two-hundred officers and personnel of the Bureau at Liberia’s borders with its neighbors. The troops, referred to as Border patrol Unit, will replace the already deployed Emergency response Units of the Liberia National Police in manning the various border posts.

Among the deliverables made known by the Immigration Commissioner, is capacity-building for 60 intelligence and investigation offers and 20-women for leadership, as well as the deployment of 40 BIN officers at the hub in Gbarnga, Bong County.

The BIN action plan also outlined a draft human resource policy, completion of a pilot assessment of the border post at Toe Town in Grand Gedeh County and  launch of a migration drafting, a review of the  Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs)process, as well as unlock committed funds, among others.

Whether or not Commissioner Williams and her team can achieve these deliverables within the hundred and fifty day time-frame, at least the people of Liberia now have an idea of what the BIN is doing as well as what it intends to do in consonance with the various pillars set aside by the President.

In the minds of realists, the BIN Action plan is being released to the public in the wake of the numerous challenges confronting at the various border posts and check-points within, including the illegal entry of aliens, as well as the increased cross border drug trade.

While this action plan must be welcome and appreciated because of its practical nature, it is hoped that a thorough monitoring and evaluation mechanism is also being considered to ensure that the challenges facing the BIN are not repetitive despite support from its international partners.

Such mechanism MUST place serious emphasis on officers and personnel assigned at these border posts with the country’s neighbors and internal check-points because it through their performances that the country over-come these challenges or continue to experience such.

There is no doubt that serious emphasis is placed on logistics to include vehicles, motor-cycles, communication, uniforms, as well as salaries and other benefits in the action plan mainly for officers and personnel assigned in rural Liberia.

Even though it is an agreeable fact that an individual within the rank and file of the immigration service must exercise the highest degree of commitment in executing his or her duties to the state, logistics, attractive salaries and benefits for such individual are also factors responsible for commitment, vigilance and honesty on his or her assignment.

While this action plan is being made public, Commissioner Williams and her team must keep their heads up high in making it practical as a way of achieving the hundred and fifty-day deliverables.