State Security Agencies Validates National Training Manual

The Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA) has concluded two-day stakeholders’ validation sessions to endorse a Technical Training Manual on Physical Security and Stockpile Management (PSSM) for State Security agencies.

The validation, which was organized in collaboration with UNDP, was held in Gbarnga, Bong County from April 27 – 28, 2021.

At the end of two days of painstaking review of the draft Manual, the manual was unanimously endorsed by over 38 armorers and officers responsible for armory management as well as senior officers from various state security agencies including the Liberia National Police, Armed Forces of Liberia, National Security Agency, Executive Protection Service, Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency, Liberia Immigration Service, officials from the Ministries of Justice and Defense and the Small Arms Commission.

This initiative is part of LiNCSA support to promote Physical Security and Stockpile Management in Liberia. The manual, which was developed by a local security expert contracted by the UNDP, is an important training tool to enhance the capacity of state security agencies in the handling, storage, maintenance, usage, transport, and destruction of arms, ammunitions and other related materials.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, LiNCSA Chairman Atty. Teklo Maxwell Grigsby II, emphasized the importance of a synchronized training manual for state security agencies and noted that LiNCSA is committed to buttress government efforts to promote physical security and stockpile management in state security agencies in compliance with international standards.

Also speaking, Atty. Samuel Darkina, National Security Coordinator encouraged State Security Agencies to continue to comply with PSSM Standards for proper stockpile accountability. “ECOWAS takes serious interest in how states account for weapons and ammunitions in the region”, he noted.

He acknowledged the Small Arms Commission support to peace and security under the stewardship of Chairman Grigsby and thanked donor partners including UNDP, GIZ, EU and ECOWAS for the support towards the development of the training manual.

For his part, the Assistant Minister for Administration and Public Safety of the Ministry of Justice, Atty. Edrick F. Noah reiterated the importance of the PSSM Training Manual to enhance the capacity of security officers in effective weapons and ammunition management.

The validation was funded under the framework of Liberia’s Component of the Organized Crime West Africa Response to Trafficking (OCWAR-T) Project, a three-year project that is being funded by EU and the German Federal Office, managed and coordinated by UNDP and GIZ.

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