New Barracks for Liberia National Police

31 Oct 2012

New Barracks for Liberia National Police

The trumpeting sound of the Liberia National Police (LNP) Band resonated across Horton Avenue in Monrovia as the band members played beneath the shadows of three towering structures on a rare sunny day in June. They were entertaining guests entering the hall for the ceremonies marking the official handing over of the newly renovated police barracks to Liberian government authorities.

 

“These apartments will really help ease the housing problems of some of us police officers,” said LNP officer Miama Weeks.

The US$ 1 million project was executed under the Justice and Security Trust Fund managed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The Japanese Government provided the funds for the project.

Speaking at the handing over ceremonies, UNDP Country Director Dominic Sam said the initiative is part of the strategic plan to boost the capacity of the Liberia National Police. “Today, we are seeing some of the really concrete results of that strategic plan that was put together four years ago,” he noted.

Sam praised progress in the operations of the LNP including increased police patrols on the streets and along the borders. “A lot has been achieved and a lot still needs to be achieved but we need to acknowledge and celebrate some of these accomplishments,” he said. He recognized the critical support from various partners in enhancing the capacity of the law enforcement agency.

Shunsuke Sato, First Secretary at the Japanese Embassy in Accra representing his government at the event, noted that the renovation of the barracks was part of Japan’s support to the rehabilitation of public infrastructure in the country. He hoped that the newly renovated facilities would serve as an added impetus to the job being done by the national police.

“We hope this renovation of the barracks will help create better working conditions and lead to higher performance of the police service,” Sato noted, urging the LNP to institute measures for the proper upkeep of the barracks. He said supporting peace and security was a major focus of the Japanese government’s assistance to Africa.

Inspector General of LNP Chris Massaquoi praised Liberia’s development partners for the renovation of the barracks. Promising that the buildings will be used for their intended purpose, he said officers occupying the facilities will be expected to sign a bond committing themselves to the proper upkeep of the barracks.

“My advice to officers who will be occupying these buildings is that you have to be able to maintain these structures by keeping them tidy,” Massaquoi cautioned the LNP officers. “If you don’t clean these buildings, in the next few months, you have no barracks to proudly say is yours.” He hoped that the favorable environment at the newly renovated barracks will help boost the performance of LNP officers.
“When the officers can be able to sleep in these facilities, they will be able to focus properly and adhere to the application of the rule of law,” Massaquoi observed. “We will appeal to the Japanese to look to the south east in the construction of barracks. That is one of the most critical areas in the country,” Massaquoi added.