By Varney Dukuly
favorduke7@gmail.com
Monrovia-The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia, Brigadier General Prince Johnson has admitted to challenges facing the force.
He said the issue of accommodation is among several challenges facing the Armed Forces of Liberia.
According to him, the AFL administration is working closely with the Minister of Defense and the Chief Executive to identify and amicably resolve the challenges facing the force.
In conversation with this station Monday, the Liberian Chief of Staff further clarified that the selection of his Deputy, Geraldine George is not a violation of any ascendency clause as claimed by Senator Steve Zargo of Lofa County.
Recently, during the Confirmation hearing of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Senator Zargo, a ranking member of the Senate Defense and Intelligence Committee claimed that other officers of the AFL merit the position of the Deputy Chief of Staff designate.
The Lofa County Senator argued that Davidson Folleh is next in command to the Chief of Staff Prince Johnson and as such he should have been named Deputy Chief of Staff.
But appearing on the OK Morning Rush, Brigadier General Prince Johnson asserted that Colonel Folleh is not fit to serve the Deputy Chief of Staff position due to some unethical action bordering on his character.
Prior to her appointment, George served as senior legal officer in the army and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. She achieved the ranks of captain and first lieutenant.
She replaces Brigadier General Prince C. Johnson, III, who also recently replaced the former chief of staff, Major General Daniel Ziankahn, who is now minister of national defense.
George’s appointment as the first female deputy chief of staff was greeted by commendations on social media.
Many campaigners for women’s inclusion in government and decision-making praised the president for the decision.
Liberia has struggled to include women in its security sector. A 2011 report that aims to monitor a U.N. resolution calling for more women in the security sector said that only 3.7 percent of Liberia’s 2,000 trained soldiers were women. Of the 97 commissioned officers, six were females.
