Liberia’s military officials say only the board of directors of the National Bureau of Veteran Affairs is authorized to vet and forward qualified veterans for onward recommendation to the President and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL).
By Naneka A. Hoffman
Monrovia, 1 March 2024: The High Command of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) has with immediate effect nullified the selection of three military veterans for the management team of the National Bureau for Veteran Affairs.
The Military High Command has restored calm in the veteran community. A 17-man steering committee set up by the veteran community of the AFL in collaboration with the National Bureau of Veteran Affairs selected Retired Major Thomas Plato, Director General, Retired Captain Edward Tokpah, Deputy Director General for Administration, and Retired First Lieutenant Isaac Wallace, Deputy Director General for Veteran Affairs.
The selected veterans were due to be forwarded to President Joseph Nyumah Bokai for their nomination and subsequent confirmation by the Liberian Senate.
Speaking Thursday, 29 February 2024 in the conference room of the AFL High Command, AFL Chief of Staff Major General Davidson Forleh said only the board of directors of the National Bureau of Veteran Affairs is clothed with the authority to vet and forward qualified veterans for onward recommendation to the President.
According to Maj. Gen Fortleh, the continuous presence of the outgoing leadership at the bureau and the measures taken by some members in selecting and vetting a new leadership is in sharp contravention of the procedures for appointments.
He said the selection must meet the consent and approval of the board of directors after proper vetting and selection process.
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Based on the prevailing circumstances, the AFL Chief of Staff also requested the outgoing management team to relinquish all their activities by handing over the gavel of authority to the Human Resource Officer by the directive of former President George Manneh Weah.
Maj. Gen. Forleh advised that the current Human Resource Officer, Retired Captain Edward Tokpah, the Comptroller, Retired Major Joseph Nyunder, and a skeleton staff head an interim leadership of the bureau.
He urged both parties to be peaceful and calm and assured them that he would be consulting with the President and Commander in Chief, Joseph Boakai, during the interim for appropriate solutions in line with the Act that established the National Bureau of Veteran Affairs.
Meanwhile, the AFL Chief of Staff has also cautioned the contending parties to relate positively to the widows of the late veterans to remain peaceful and refrain from any form of protest against the government.
He noted that the authority shall look into their concerns and come out with redress.
For their part, the contending parties accepted the advice of the Chief of Staff and promised to remain calm as they would work together as a team for the good of the National Bureau of Veteran Affairs.
They committed to intervene and calm the planned protest by widows of deceased veterans.
