Monrovia – Dismissed agents of the Executive Protection Services are calling on the United States Embassy to intervene as they seek their “just benefit” from the Joseph Boakai-led government 11 months since its inception.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972)-[email protected]
At the early stage of the Boakai’s leadership, over 200 officers of the EPS were faced with termination under the directive of the new Director, Sam Gaye.
After their dismissal, there were allegations suggesting that the dismissed EPS agents’ personnel were being let go due to perceived loyalty to former President George Manneh Weah.
Director Gaye back then defended the terminations, stating that the aim is not a witch-hunt but rather to ensure the professionalism and adequacy of the EPS staff. Gaye emphasized the importance of having well-trained and qualified individuals in the EPS, pointing out that the General Auditing Commission (GAC) had also raised concerns about the qualifications of some officers during an audit.
“Those who were deemed unqualified to provide VIP protection will be removed. And those we have vetted and declared qualified will be retained and sent for training at the police academy. We want to be fair and transparent. This is not a witch hunt,” Mr. Gaye told FrontPageAfrica.
Gaye highlighted that individuals who do not meet the necessary standards for VIP protection are being removed to enhance the effectiveness and credibility of the EPS.
Since then, there have been more than 200 EPS agents who have been dismissed without any benefits.
Reading the petition outside of the US Embassy in Monrovia, the spokesman of the group Godfrey Weah said they have gone to several institutions including the religious community and diplomatic missions to look into their case but their request has fallen on deaf ears.
“We are agents of the Executive Protection Services and we have been serving this country diligently and for no reason, we got dismissed by the EPS Director Sam Gaye when he took over in the new administration, without giving us due process,” Weah said.
He added: “Today, we have assembled here at the US Embassy in peace to solicit their prompt intervention.”
The latest complaints, according to the group spokesman, were presented to the Senate committee on Defense, Intelligent and Veteran Affairs and the Senate Committee on Labor to look into their situation.
“Before the end of last month, we visited
Lofa County Senator Momo Cyrus who is the Chair on the above committee informed us that they expect the matter to be lay to rest by now base on the communication they sent to the Executive through the Ministry of State requesting them to pay our lawful benefits in order to maintain peace and security in our country,” he explained.
The dismissed EPS agents’ spokesman said similar commitments were made by the House of Representatives to ensure that they get their benefits but nothing has changed.
“His Excellency Mark Toner, US Ambassador to Liberia and the international community, we are in serious distress, we are in the month of December and there is no light, the festive season is around and there is no light. We have our family to rescue and we have been pushed to the wall while the Executive Branch of Government is still playing deaf ears,” Weah said.
He added: “Again, we are calling on the United States of America through its Embassy in Liberia and the international community, the Liberia Council of Churches, and the public to please intervene as it is more important to the peace and security of our country.”
“The dismissal of 215 EPS agents without their lawful benefits poses a national security threat to the peace and security,” the dismissed EPS agents spokesman said.
