By Lewis S. Teh
The director general of the national veteran bureau affairs of Liberia Retired Col. Edwin J. Goodridge applauds the Government of Liberia for successfully putting huge number of the bureau on payroll.
“Todate we have succeeded in placing 90 percent of AFL veterans who have passed a rigorous vetting exercise on GOL direct deposit payment scheme”, says Retired Col. Goodridge.
He outlines achievements of the NBVA as ensuring the enrollment of all veterans of the military who are pensioners on government payroll into the National Identification Registry, and cataloging pensioners in the government direct deposit system to enable them receive pension payment, among others.
Col. Goodridge further discloses that prior to his incumbency to leadership of the NBVA, there had been stiff resistance from the NIR largely due to misinformation and disinformation.
“However, as a result of our resolve to be in compliance with government policies, we have been able to collaborate with the ministry of national defense, the ministry of finance and development planning, and the national identification registry to ensure that nearly all AFL Veterans are enrolled in said program; this we accomplished through the creation of awareness and persistent efforts.”
He says uniting members of the veteran community has been hitherto a daunting task that has eventually saved government US$1 million annually, contingent on the enforcement of the direct deposit policy.
The veteran boss continues that the Bureau has plan to implement President Weah’s agriculture and food sufficiency program in line with a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the ministries of national defense and agriculture.
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He says establishing a database to account for every AFL Veteran that is retired and demobilized is requisite to efficient promotion of welfare.
He notes that lack of budgetary allotment for goods and services as well as operation is a challenge that places severe constraints on the Bureau in carrying out its mandate and operation.
“The lack of functional office equipment and related materials as well as the unavailability of vehicles for mobility, including inadequate workspace”, he points.
Retired Col. Goodridge spoke over the weekend at the Ministry of Information regular press briefing in Monrovia. https://thenewdawnliberia.com/ex-soldiers-extol-afl-for-maintaining-legacy/Editing by Jonathan Browne
