Ministry of National Defense (Liberia)
Encyclopedia
The Ministry of National Defense (MOD) is the government ministry responsible for the maintenance of the national defense and the governance of the military of Liberia
, the Armed Forces of Liberia
. The current Minister of National Defense is Hon. Brownie J. Samukai. Dionysius Sebwe is the current deputy minister for operations. Othello Warwick is the current Deputy Defense Minister for Administration. The Ministry's three-story building used to be located on Benson Street in downtown Monrovia
, but upon the conclusion of the DynCorp army training effort in Liberia, moved to the Barclay Training Center, also located in central Monrovia, in July 2009. In early August 2009 the Ministry's Comptroller was dismissed, apparently for misappropriating US $50,000 intended for paying soldiers of the rebuilt AFL.
Daniel Chea (DOB: 25 MAY 1958) was the Defense Minister under Charles Taylor's National Patriotic Party
administration from 1997 to 2006. More than 150 Liberian government soldiers staged a protest demonstration against the re-appointment of Daniel Chea as Defense Minister in the NTGL, claiming he owed them more than two years of pay arrears. They complained that Chea had failed to pay most government soldiers, giving priority to an elite force, the Anti-Terrorist Unit
at the expense of the regular army.
Before the First Liberian Civil War, Harry A. Greaves served as Minister from 1976-78, M.B. Holder 1978-79, James Y Gbabee 1979-80, Grey Allison, up to August 1989, Boima Barclay 1989-90, fleeing Monrovia on 2 July 1990 (Huband, The Liberian Civil War), and during the war, J. Hezekiah Bowen
1995-97.
An amendment to the Liberian Constitution allowed the previously-named War Department to be renamed the Department of National Defense on February 25, 1955. Then, during the early years of the Tolbert
Administration, all departments were renamed Ministries and thus the organisation became the Ministry of National Defense.
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, the Armed Forces of Liberia
Armed Forces of Liberia
The Armed Forces of Liberia are the armed forces of the Republic of Liberia. Founded as the Liberian Frontier Force in 1908, the military was retitled in 1956. For virtually all of its history, the AFL has received considerable materiel and training assistance from the United States. For most of...
. The current Minister of National Defense is Hon. Brownie J. Samukai. Dionysius Sebwe is the current deputy minister for operations. Othello Warwick is the current Deputy Defense Minister for Administration. The Ministry's three-story building used to be located on Benson Street in downtown Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
, but upon the conclusion of the DynCorp army training effort in Liberia, moved to the Barclay Training Center, also located in central Monrovia, in July 2009. In early August 2009 the Ministry's Comptroller was dismissed, apparently for misappropriating US $50,000 intended for paying soldiers of the rebuilt AFL.
Daniel Chea (DOB: 25 MAY 1958) was the Defense Minister under Charles Taylor's National Patriotic Party
National Patriotic Party
The National Patriotic Party is a political party in Liberia. It was formed in 1997 by members of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia following the end of the First Liberian Civil War....
administration from 1997 to 2006. More than 150 Liberian government soldiers staged a protest demonstration against the re-appointment of Daniel Chea as Defense Minister in the NTGL, claiming he owed them more than two years of pay arrears. They complained that Chea had failed to pay most government soldiers, giving priority to an elite force, the Anti-Terrorist Unit
Anti-Terrorist Unit (Liberia)
The Anti-Terrorist Unit , also known as the Anti-Terrorist Brigade, was a paramilitary force of the government of Liberia, established by then-President Charles Taylor in 1997-98. Chuckie Taylor, Charles Taylor's son, served as commander of the force for a period...
at the expense of the regular army.
Before the First Liberian Civil War, Harry A. Greaves served as Minister from 1976-78, M.B. Holder 1978-79, James Y Gbabee 1979-80, Grey Allison, up to August 1989, Boima Barclay 1989-90, fleeing Monrovia on 2 July 1990 (Huband, The Liberian Civil War), and during the war, J. Hezekiah Bowen
Hezekiah Bowen
John Hezekiah Bowen was an officer of the Armed Forces of Liberia.Bowen joined the AFL in 1969.Bowen joined the Officer Candidate School at the Military Academy in Todee in March 1971 and graduated in October 1971...
1995-97.
An amendment to the Liberian Constitution allowed the previously-named War Department to be renamed the Department of National Defense on February 25, 1955. Then, during the early years of the Tolbert
William R. Tolbert, Jr.
William Richard Tolbert, Jr. was the 20th President of Liberia from 1971 to 1980.Trained as a civil servant, he entered the country's House of Representatives in 1955 for the True Whig Party, then the only established party in the country...
Administration, all departments were renamed Ministries and thus the organisation became the Ministry of National Defense.