SENATE PASSES DRAFT AMENDMENTS TO ACT ESTABLISHING LIBERIA NATIONAL COMMISSION ON SMALL ARMS

SmartnewsliberiaJuly 8, 2022Read original

Photo: Atty. Maxwell Teklo Grigsby, Chairman LiNCSA

– The Liberian Senate has passed draft amendments to the Act establishing the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms to expand its scope beyond Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) to all convention arms thus establishing the Liberia National Commission on Arms as well Firearms and Ammunition Control Act of 2015 to domesticate the United Nations Global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).

The passage of the amendments to both Arms Control laws was followed by public hearings and engagements led by Senator Conmany B. Wesseh, of River Gee County, Acting Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Defense, Security, Intelligence and Veteran Affairs, and Senator Varney Gboto-Nambi Sherman, of Grand Capemount County, Chairman, Senate standing committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Claims, and Petition.

The Liberia National Commission on Small Arms conveys its appreciation to the Honorable Pro tempore of the Liberian Senate, Senator Albert Tugbe Chie of Grand Kru County and the Chairman on Executive of the Senate, Honorable Saah H. Joseph of Montserrado County as well as all Members of the Honorable Liberian Senate for the timely passage of the both amended acts pending concurrence by the House of Representatives of the 54th National Legislature.

The Passage of the amended acts to include, the Act establishing the Liberia National Commission on Arms and the Firearms and Ammunition Control Act of 2015 places Liberia as the leading country within the ECOWAS Sub-Region for domesticating the United Nations Global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and instituting legal and regulatory frameworks to improve the control of Conventional Arms including Small arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and Other Related Materials.

The Commission extends appreciation to His Excellency Amb. George Manneh Weah, Sr.,President of the Republic of Liberia for his continuous support towards the improvement of Arms Control and ensuring full compliance of all national, regional and international legal instruments on Arms control.

The Commission states that the singular act of the President of Liberia to submit the both amended acts to the National Legislature demonstrates strong political will to ensure effective management of weapons, ammunition, explosives and other related materials within and across the borders of Liberia and the West African Sub-Region.

The Commission further extends appreciation to its partners to include ECOWAS Commission, with support from the European Union (EU) and German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) for the Organized Crime West Africa Response to Trafficking Project (OCWAR-T), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Expertise France, United Nations Institute for Development Research (UNIDIR) as well as National Security Agencies, Civil Society Organizations and the Media.

The Commission emphasizes that it will remain engaged with the Honorable House of Representatives of the 54th National Legislature for concurrence of the both amended acts.

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