Weah appoints army chief of staff as minister

Liberian President and Commander – in – Chief of the Arm Forces of Liberia George Manneh Weah has retired with immediate effect the Chief of Staff of the Arm Forces of Liberia (AFL), Major General Daniel Ziahnkan, and subsequently appointed the army chief as new Minister of National Defense, subject to confirmation by the Liberian Senate.

A statement issued from the office of the President hours after taking the oath of office on Monday, 22 January says Gen. Ziahnkan’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Brig. General Prince Charles Johnson III, is appointed by Mr. Weah as new Chief of Staff of the AFL with immediate effect. He is appointed with the rank of Major General, pending confirmation by the Liberian Senate.

When confirmed by the Senate, retired Gen. Ziahnkan who is appointed as Defense Minister would replace former President Ellen Johnson – Sirleaf’s longest serving minister, Brownie Samukai.

By Directive of the President Mr. Weah, the Heads of certain government ministries and agencies have been instructed to hold over until further notice. They include the Minister of Information Len Eugene Nagbe, Education Minister George K. Werner, Internal Affairs Minister Varney Sirleaf, Police Inspector General Col. Gregory Coleman, and the Director of General Services Agency, Madam Mary Broh.

The President says all other Ministries and Public Corporations will be supervised by the Director of Human Resource of those entities until further notice.–Press release