Amidst Continues Protest, Defense Minister Johnson’s Resign

Monrovia, Liberia – Rtd. Maj. Gen. Prince C. Johnson, the recently approved Minister of National Defense, has resigned from his position due to protests from ladies claiming to be Army wives.

According to a Monday release from the Executive Mansion, the Minister of National Defense wrote to the President, explaining that his actions were necessary to maintain the peace and security of the state and address the political and civil unrest currently caused by protests by women claiming to be wives of members of the Armed Forces of Liberia.

President Joseph Nyuma Boakai received and accepted the defense minister’s letter of resignation and praised Minister Johnson as a patriot in addition to thanking him for his priceless contribution to the country.

President Boakai has named Brigadier General Geraldine George, the Ministry of Defense’s Deputy Minister for Operations, as the Acting Defense Minister concurrently.

In a visit with the President at his Rehab Office over the weekend, the women brought up the difficulties they are now facing at the Edward Beyan Kesselly Barracks in Schieffelin.

They claim that issues related to their general welfare, social services, education, substandard housing, unemployment, low pay, corruption, retirement benefits, and inadequate insurance have persisted for far too long without being addressed.

The women were nevertheless reassured by Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Commander in Chief of the Liberian Armed Forces, that their complaints would be looked at carefully in order to perhaps find a solution.

“The Army is our collective national pride, we must preserve it’s dignity. As a result, I have formed an independent special investigative team to look into these complaints; they will report back to me in two weeks.”

The Liberia Electricity Corporation has restored power to the EBK Barracks following the President’s decree, and the Linda Thomas Greenfield School at the barracks is now free of tuition.

Fewer than a month has passed since the President took decisive action to resolve some of these long-standing problems.

As the administration works to resolve their concerns, he has begged the women to be patient as he looks into their problems and advised everyone to keep calm.