Paramount Chief of Porkpa District Madam Jamiatu Watson
By Jenneh Kemokai – Radio Cape Mount, Internews’ Elections Fellow
IPNEWS-Monrovia: Citizens of Porkpa District Electoral District #1 are said to be living in fear due to the limited securities presence in the District.
According to the District Paramount Chief of Porkpa District Madam Jamiatu Watson, there is a need for the central Government to assign more armed securities to secure the lives of the citizens and other residents of the District. She also said during the Biometric Voters Registration (BVR) exercise, there was a lot of violence in the district something which she said was due to the Security absence.
Porkpa District Commissioner Lawrence in conversation with Radio Cape and Internews’ elections fellow, Jenneh Kemokai
On his part, the District Commissioner of Porkpa Lawrence Brown said there is a need for more armed security to be assigned in the district during pre-elections, elections, and after elections. According to him Porkpa District in Cape Mount is noted for violence as it can be recalled in December 2020 Senatorial Midterm elections, two cars set ablaze on the 5 of December 2020 and there was no security to put the situation under control.
He also disclosed there are lots of illegal crossing points between Liberia and Sierra Leone, and as the neighboring country goes to elections in June this year, there is a need that those border areas be secured with armed security officers.
Flashback: During December 2020 Senatorial Midterm elections, two cars were set ablaze on the 5th of December 2020 in the District and there was no security to put the situation under control
As for the Join Security assigned at the District headquarters in Bambala Town, Porkpa District also said there are only two police officers in Porkpa District which is the biggest District in Cape Mount County. They added that they can sometimes be afraid especially during elections time because they are not many and they are not also armed to even do border patrol during elections. They also outlined some challenges affecting their job, including mobility and the involvement of community members into security matters during and after elections.
Grand Cape Mount County Police Commander Joseph Moluba
Still on security situation, the head of the police in Cape Mount also said they as security personnel are also adding their voices to those of the citizens in the County to call for more man power in the District. He said he has asked that government sets up a temporarily base for security personnel in the District headquarters just for the October election because it is the only District noted for elections violence and is sharing common boundary with neighboring Sierra Lone.
Joseph Moluba who is the County Police Commander in Cape Mount said they are challenged when it comes to mobility as the only vehicle in the County is down and with that obstacle they cannot respond to violence scene on time.
